James urges New Yorkers to request mail ballots before October 24 deadline

New York – Attorney General Letitia James is urging New Yorkers planning to vote by mail in the November 3 general election to request their ballots promptly and return them early, with a key application deadline arriving Saturday, October 24.

That date also marks the start of early voting and the final day to register to vote. James said voters should feel confident using the state’s mail voting system, pointing to safeguards designed to verify ballots, prevent duplicate voting and give voters an opportunity to correct certain errors.

Her office is encouraging residents to request and return their ballots as soon as possible, rather than leave either step until the closing days of the election. Voters who prefer to return a completed mail ballot themselves also have several options for doing so.

“No matter how they vote, New Yorkers should feel confident their ballots will be counted,” said Attorney General James. “Mail voting in New York is safe, secure, and trusted by New Yorkers in every corner of our state. When the federal government tried to attack mail ballots, we went to court and stopped it. I am urging New Yorkers not to let anyone shake their confidence in our election system. Request your ballot, send it back early, and make your voice heard.”

Any registered New York voter can apply for an early mail ballot without providing an excuse. That option differs from an absentee ballot, which is available to voters who cannot vote in person for a specific qualifying reason.

For applications submitted online, by mail, email or fax, October 24 is the deadline identified by the attorney general’s office. Voters should not assume that sending a paper application shortly before that date will leave enough time for it to arrive.

Residents who have not yet applied are encouraged to use the State Board of Elections’ online application resources. Those applying in person at their county board of elections have until Monday, November 2, the day before Election Day.

A visit to the local elections office can also allow a voter to complete the process in one trip. Voters may request an early mail ballot, fill it out and submit it during the same visit, according to the announcement.

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Returning a ballot by mail involves two separate deadlines. It must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, November 3, and reach the county board of elections by Tuesday, November 10.

The additional delivery window does not extend the deadline for obtaining a valid postmark. A ballot arriving during that week must still meet the Election Day postmark requirement.

James warned that changes in how the U.S. Postal Service applies postmarks make it particularly important to avoid waiting until the last moment. According to her office, a ballot placed in a mailbox may not receive a postmark until the following day or later.

Voters mailing their ballots close to Election Day are therefore encouraged to request a free hand-stamped postmark at a post office counter. Mailing earlier remains the recommendation, giving the ballot more time to move through the postal system.

Those who would rather deliver their ballots can take them to their county board of elections, an early voting location in their county or an open Election Day polling place in their county.

Early voting runs from Saturday, October 24, through Sunday, November 1. During that period, completed mail ballots can be dropped off at any early voting site within the voter’s county. On November 3, ballots may be delivered to a county board of elections or a polling site in the county until 9 p.m.

Before returning a ballot, voters should follow the accompanying instructions carefully and sign and date the envelope where indicated. Completing those steps correctly helps avoid an error that election officials would otherwise need to address.

The attorney general’s office said bipartisan teams of election workers examine each mail ballot envelope and compare the voter’s signature with the registration record. After processing a ballot, officials update the voter’s record to prevent a second vote from being counted.

A correctable envelope problem, such as a missing signature, does not automatically end the process. Election officials must notify the voter and provide an opportunity to fix it.

Voters can also check their ballot’s progress through the State Board of Elections’ online ballot tracker. New York City residents have a separate tracking option at requestballot.vote.nyc/tracking.

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James also addressed recent federal efforts to change mail voting procedures, saying court action had preserved the rules New Yorkers will use this fall.

According to her office, USPS issued a rule in August, at the president’s direction, that would have allowed the agency to withhold delivery of mail ballots to eligible voters whose names did not appear on a new federal list. The rule also would have imposed new federal requirements on ballot envelopes.

James and a coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the measure and obtained a court order blocking it. Her office said the U.S. Supreme Court subsequently upheld that protection.

The announcement also cited a separate Supreme Court action in June rejecting an effort to require mailed ballots to arrive by Election Day. James said that outcome preserved New York’s provision allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted when they arrive within seven days.

Her office noted that the president has since encouraged voting by mail after previously criticizing the practice. James’ message to New Yorkers was that the state’s established procedures remain available regardless of the broader political debate.

Voters who request a mail ballot but later decide to vote in person still have an option. If they have not submitted the mail ballot, they may vote at a polling place using an affidavit ballot. Election officials will verify that a ballot has not already been submitted before counting that vote.

That verification is part of the process intended to protect access to voting while preventing duplicate ballots. Requesting a mail ballot, by itself, does not mean a voter who changes plans has lost the opportunity to participate.

For help with problems, the Office of the Attorney General’s Election Protection Hotline will operate from Saturday, October 24, through Wednesday, November 4. Assistance will cover issues involving mail voting, early voting and Election Day.

New Yorkers can call 866-390-2992 or submit a complaint online. With application, postmark and delivery deadlines falling on different dates, James is encouraging voters to act early and check their ballot’s status throughout the process.