NYC Polling Site, Early Voting and Mail Ballot Guide: 2026 Dates, Deadlines and How-To

Verified 2026 NYC Board of Elections dates: how to find your poll site, early voting hours for the June 23 Primary and November 3 General, and complete mail ballot deadlines.

Finding your New York City polling site, voting early, or returning a mail ballot in 2026 comes down to three official tools at vote.nyc: the Poll Site Locator, the Early Voting calendar, and the Ballot Request portal. This guide walks through each one — what to use, when to use it, and the specific deadlines the New York City Board of Elections has published for the rest of the 2026 election year. Every date below is verified against the NYC Board of Elections’ official 2026 calendar.

The three NYC elections still on the 2026 calendar

The NYC Board of Elections lists three citywide elections for 2026. As of this writing, one has already concluded and two remain ahead.

Special Election — Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (3rd City Council District in Manhattan). Early voting ran April 18 through April 26, 2026.
Primary Election — Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Early voting period: June 13, 2026 through June 21, 2026.
General Election — Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting period: October 24, 2026 through November 1, 2026.

On all three Election Days, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. across the five boroughs. Source: vote.nyc Upcoming Elections 2026.

How to find your NYC poll site

Your assigned poll site is tied to your residential address and is set by the New York City Board of Elections. There is one official tool to look it up, and it serves three purposes: it shows your Election Day poll site, your borough’s early voting locations, and a preview of the ballot that will appear in front of you.

Go to the official Poll Site Locator at findmypollsite.vote.nyc.
Enter your house number, street name, and ZIP code.
The tool returns your Election Day poll site address, your early voting site, your Assembly District, Election District, City Council District, and Congressional District.
Confirm the accessible entrance information before you go if you use a wheelchair, walker, or other mobility device. The Poll Site Locator displays an accessibility note for each site.

Your Election Day poll site is the only place you can cast an in-person ballot on June 23 or November 3. Your early voting site may be different from your Election Day site — early voting locations are consolidated, and the Poll Site Locator will display the correct early voting address for your address. The locator becomes available “prior to general, primary, and special elections,” according to the NYC Board of Elections.

NYC early voting 2026: dates, hours, and how it works

Early voting in New York City is a nine-day period that runs through both weekends leading up to Election Day. During early voting, any registered voter in the five boroughs can cast a ballot in person at any early voting site assigned to their address — no excuse, no application required. The ballot you receive at early voting is the same ballot you would have received on Election Day.

Primary Election early voting hours (June 13–21, 2026)

Hours below are published by the NYC Board of Elections and are uniform across all five boroughs.

Saturday, June 13, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 14, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, June 15, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 18, 2026 — 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, June 19, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 20, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 21, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

General Election early voting hours (October 24 – November 1, 2026)

Saturday, October 24, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 25, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, October 26, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 29, 2026 — 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, October 30, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 31, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 1, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A note on the early voting site itself: every county in New York must offer at least one early voting site, and New York City offers many more — each early voting site is open to a group of nearby election districts, not the whole borough. Use the Poll Site Locator to confirm which early voting site you are assigned to before you head out.

Mail ballots in New York City: Early Mail vs. Absentee

New York now offers two ways to vote by mail, and the choice between them is a simple matter of why you are using a mail ballot.

Early Mail Ballot

The New York Early Mail Voter Act took effect on January 1, 2024. Under the law, any registered voter in New York may apply for an Early Mail Ballot for any election — no reason or excuse is required. This is the default option for most voters who want a mail ballot.

Absentee Ballot

An Absentee Ballot is reserved for voters who meet one of the following qualifying conditions:

Absent from the five boroughs on Election Day.
Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability.
Unable to appear because you are the primary care giver of someone who is ill or physically disabled.
A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration hospital.
In jail or prison for any reason other than a felony conviction (including awaiting grand jury action, awaiting trial, or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor).

Voters with a permanent illness or disability may apply once and then automatically receive an Absentee Ballot for every subsequent election.

How to apply for either ballot

Both ballot types use the same application portals and methods. You may apply in any of the following ways:

Online at requestballot.vote.nyc
Online using the Accessible Ballot Application if you have a print disability such as blindness, low vision, dyslexia, dysgraphia, a learning disability, or a physical disability that limits writing
In person at your county Board of Elections office
By designating another person to deliver your application in person on your behalf
By mailing a paper application — the NYC Board of Elections publishes PDF application forms in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Bengali

2026 mail ballot deadlines (Primary and General)

The NYC Board of Elections has published the following application and return deadlines for the remaining two 2026 citywide elections. Source: vote.nyc — All Important Dates.

Primary Election — June 23, 2026

Last day to apply online or by mail: June 13, 2026
Last day to apply in person at your county Board of Elections: June 22, 2026
Mailed ballot must receive a postmark no later than: June 23, 2026
Drop off at your county Board of Elections office by: June 23, 2026 at 9:00 p.m.
Drop off at any early voting site in your county: June 13 through June 21, 2026
Drop off at an Election Day poll site: June 23, 2026 by 9:00 p.m.

General Election — November 3, 2026

Last day to apply online or by mail: October 24, 2026
Last day to apply in person at your county Board of Elections: November 2, 2026
Mailed ballot must receive a postmark no later than: November 3, 2026
Drop off at your county Board of Elections office by: November 3, 2026 at 9:00 p.m.
Drop off at any early voting site in your county: October 24 through November 1, 2026
Drop off at an Election Day poll site: November 3, 2026 by 9:00 p.m.

The United States Postal Service recommends mailing your completed ballot at least seven days before an election to ensure it is delivered in time. Ballot envelopes provided by the Board of Elections include prepaid postage — no additional stamps are required.

Returning your ballot: four options

Once you receive your Early Mail or Absentee Ballot, you have four ways to return it for any 2026 NYC election. All four are equally valid; choose whichever is most convenient.

Mail it back in the prepaid Return Envelope. Make sure the envelope receives a USPS postmark on or before Election Day.
Drop it off at your county Board of Elections office by 9:00 p.m. on Election Day. The five borough offices are listed at the bottom of this article.
Drop it off at any early voting poll site in your county during the early voting period.
Drop it off at an Election Day poll site by 9:00 p.m. on Election Day.

To cast the ballot itself: mark your choices on the ballot, fold the ballot into the Security Envelope (which has your signature line), sign and date the Security Envelope, seal it, then place that envelope inside the prepaid Return Envelope and seal that envelope too. Send or drop off the Return Envelope.

What if I requested a mail ballot but want to vote in person?

Under a recent change in New York law, once you have been issued an Early Mail Ballot or Absentee Ballot, you cannot vote on a regular voting machine for that election. You can still vote in person — but you must request an affidavit ballot at your poll site. The affidavit ballot is sealed and kept separate. Election officials verify whether your mail ballot was already received: if it was, the affidavit ballot is not counted; if it was not, the affidavit ballot is counted.

Ballot cures: fixing a mail ballot mistake

If you make certain correctable errors on your mail ballot envelope — for example, forgetting to sign — many of those errors are curable. If your envelope has a curable defect, the Board of Elections will send you a notice with cure instructions. Follow the instructions promptly; the cure window is short.

The five borough Boards of Elections

Each borough has its own county Board of Elections office. You can apply for a mail ballot in person, pick up a ballot, or drop off a completed ballot at any of these locations during business hours and through 9:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Bronx — 1780 Grand Concourse, 5th Floor, Bronx, NY 10457 — 1-718-299-9017
Brooklyn — 345 Adams Street, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201 — 1-718-797-8800
Manhattan — 200 Varick Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10014 — 1-212-886-2100
Queens — 118-35 Queens Boulevard, 11th Floor, Forest Hills, NY 11375 — 1-718-730-6730
Staten Island — 1 Edgewater Plaza, 4th Floor, Staten Island, NY 10305 — 1-718-876-0079

The Executive Office is located at 32-42 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004, with a general line at 1-212-487-5400. Citywide voter assistance: 1-866-Vote-NYC (1-866-868-3692). For TDD/TTY assistance, dial the New York State Relay at 711.

Frequently asked questions

What are the polling hours in NYC on Election Day 2026?

Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. across all five boroughs on every 2026 Election Day, including the April 28 Special Election, the June 23 Primary Election, and the November 3 General Election.

When does early voting start for the NYC June 2026 Primary?

Early voting for the June 23, 2026 Primary Election begins Saturday, June 13, 2026, and ends Sunday, June 21, 2026. Hours vary by day; weekend hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and several weekday windows extend to 8:00 p.m.

When is the last day to request a mail ballot for the June 23, 2026 Primary?

The last day to apply online or by mail is June 13, 2026. You may still apply in person at your county Board of Elections through June 22, 2026 (the day before the election).

Do I need a reason to vote by mail in New York?

No. Under the New York Early Mail Voter Act, any registered voter may apply for an Early Mail Ballot without providing an excuse. The traditional Absentee Ballot still exists for voters who meet one of the qualifying conditions listed above and is also available without a reason if you choose the Early Mail Ballot path.

Where do I find my NYC poll site?

Use the official NYC Poll Site Locator at findmypollsite.vote.nyc. Enter your house number, street name, and ZIP code, and the tool returns your Election Day poll site, your early voting site, and your district information.

Can I drop my mail ballot at an early voting site?

Yes. You may drop a completed Early Mail or Absentee Ballot at any early voting poll site in your county during the early voting period for that election.

What if I requested a mail ballot but want to vote in person?

You can still vote in person, but you must request an affidavit ballot at the poll site. The affidavit ballot will be counted only if your mail ballot has not already been received by the Board of Elections.