’Tis the season for New Yorkers to cast ballots, and while voters should be abuzz with the prospect of voting for the nation’s first female president of color, Vice President Kamala Harris is not the only important candidate on the ballot. Stay up to date on what else will be on your ballot this year with our quick guide.
Battleground states for U.S. presidential election
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced nearly $2.5 million in investments last month to all 57 state parties. These funds were allocated to both traditionally red and blue states to help Democrats win in down-ballot races.
“The DNC is committed to electing Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, and ensuring Democrats have the resources to run competitive races across the map in red and blue states alike,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison in a statement. “New York Democrats will ensure working families can get ahead, while standing up to Trump and Republicans’ extreme agenda to rip away Americans’ most fundamental rights. With Vice President Harris at the helm and record-breaking investments in coordinated campaigns, the DNC and Democratic state parties across the country have the momentum to strengthen coordinated operations in the critical final stretch to November to deliver wins for Democrats and all New Yorkers.”
Presidential battleground states include swing cities like Phoenix, Az.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Milwaukee, Wisc.; Atlanta, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; Detroit, Mich.; and Philadelphia, Penna., according to civil rights attorney Areva Martin.
You can register to vote, find your polling place, and check your registration status by visiting www.amsterdamnews.com/election2024.
Important deadlines in New York City
- The deadline to submit a voter registration application by mail, online portal, email, or fax is Saturday, Oct. 26.
- Early Voting begins on Saturday, Oct. 26, and continues through Sunday, Nov. 3. Find your early voting site and hours at www.findmypollsite.vote.nyc/.
- The deadline to request early mail-in and/or absentee ballots is Saturday, Oct. 26.
- The deadline for in-person early mail-in and/or absentee ballot requests is Monday, Nov. 4.
- Early mail-in envelopes must be postmarked and an absentee ballot must be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 5. This is also the last day for voters to deliver an early mail-in and/or absentee ballot in person at the Board of Elections (BOE) or drop it off at a polling site.
- Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Find your poll site at findmypollsite.vote.nyc/.
“New York Democrats are grateful for this investment from the DNC to support our efforts to turn out voters in every community,” said New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay S. Jacobs in a statement. “We’ll be connecting with New Yorkers across the state, ensuring Kamala Harris and Democrats down-ballot win in November.”
In New York, the DNC money is intended to go toward key battleground congressional districts and help engage Puerto Rican voters in those districts, according to the DNC. Dems are scrambling to flip a handful of congressional races in the state’s Republican-leaning districts, hoping that Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries becomes Speaker of the House, Sen. Chuck Schumer holds his position as Senate Majority Leader, and Harris has a cooperating Senate and Congress should she get elected. The state democratic organization has already deployed countless members of Democratic clubs, county parties, and political groups on buses to these districts and states to drum up votes.
Upcoming voter registration and other deadlines in key states
South Carolina Voter registration: October 14, 2024, https://scvotes.gov/voters/register-to-vote/
SC absentee ballot deadlines
Request ballot (received by): October 25 by 5:00 p.m. EST
Return ballot by mail (received by): November 5 by 7:00 p.m. EST
Return ballot in person: November 5 by 7:00 p.m. EST
SC voting deadlines
Early voting: October 21–Nov. 2
Arizona: Absentee ballot deadlines, https://my.arizona.vote/Early/ApplicationLogin.aspx
Request ballot (received by): October 25 by 5:00 p.m. MST
Return ballot by mail (received by): November 5 by 7:00 p.m. MST
Return ballot in person: November 5 by 7:00 p.m. MST
AZ voting deadlines
Early voting : October 9–November 1
In-person: November 5
Nevada: October 23 (online), November 5 (in-person), https://registertovote.nv.gov/
NV registration deadlines
- By mail (postmarked by): October 8
- In person during early voting: October 19–November 1
- In-person at voting location on Election Day: November 5 close of business
- Online: November 5
NV voting deadlines
- Early voting: October 19–November 1
- Return ballot by mail (postmarked by): November 5
- Return ballot in person: November 5 by 7:00 p.m. PST
Wisconsin: October 16, 2024 https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Voter-Registration
WI absentee ballot deadlines
- Request ballot (received by) October 8 by 5 p.m.
- By mail (postmarked by): October 31
- Return ballot by mail (received by) 8 p.m. on November 5
- Return ballot in person 8 p.m. on November 5
WI registration deadlines
- By mail (postmarked by) October 16
- Online by 11:59 p.m. on October 16
- In-person at voting location on Election Day November 5
WI voting deadlines
Georgia, https://securemyabsenteeballot.sos.ga.gov/s/
GA absentee ballot deadlines
- Request ballot (received by): October 25
- Return ballot by mail (received by): November 5 close of polls
- Return ballot in person: November 5 close of polls
GA voting deadlines
North Carolina: October 11, 2024, https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register
NC absentee ballot deadlines
- Request ballot (received by) 5 p.m. on October 29
- Return ballot by mail (received by) 7:30 p.m. on November 5
- Return ballot in person by 7:30 p.m. on November 5
NC registration deadlines
- By mail (postmarked by) October 11
- Online October 11
- In-person during early voting October 17–November 2
NC voting deadlines
- Early voting varies by location
- In-person November 5
Michigan: October 21, 2024, https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/RegisterVoter
MI registration deadlines
- By mail (postmarked by) October 21
- In-person at local election office on Election Day November 5
- Online October 21
MI absentee ballot deadlines
MI voting deadlines
- Early voting varies by location
- In-person November 5
Pennsylvania: October 21, 2024, www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx
PA registration deadlines
- By mail (received by) October 21
- In-person at local election office October 21
- Online October 21
PA mail and absentee deadlines
- Request ballot (received by) 5 p.m. on October 29
- Return ballot by mail (received by) 8 p.m. on November 5
- Return ballot in person by 8 p.m. on November 5
PA voting deadlines
Key New York congressional races
- Congressional District 3: Tom Suozzi
- Congressional District 4: Laura Gillen
- Congressional District 8: Hakeem S. Jeffries
- Congressional District 9: Yvette D. Clarke
- Congressional District 13: Adriano Espaillat
- Congressional District 14: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Congressional District 17: Mondaire Jones
- Congressional District 19: Josh Riley
- Congressional District 22: John Mannion
2024 NYC ballot proposals
There will be six ballot proposals on the back of voter ballots this year, some of which are hotly debated. Ballot Proposal 1 is about protecting reproductive freedoms in the state, such as abortion, birth control, and IVF, which has been under attack across the country.
Ballot Proposals 2 through 6 reflect the battle between the City Council and the tenuous Mayor Eric Adams administration, which began in May when Speaker Adrienne Adams introduced the advice-and-consent law. The law allowed for City Council approval over Adams’s city commissioner appointments. Shortly after the law’s introduction, Adams convened a Charter Revision Commission (CRC) to change the city’s constitution and added the proposals in spite of massive backlash.
- Ballot Proposal 1: This proposal adds protections to the State’s Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
- The state constitution version of the ERA prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, origin, age, disability, and sex. This ballot adds sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. It would also protect those who seek access to reproductive healthcare and abortion from discrimination.
- The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) would have increased authority over all city property, parks, highway medians, and street vendors.
- The City Council would have to provide cost estimates of proposed laws before voting on them and notify the mayor’s office before holding public hearings or votes on proposed laws. This proposal would also permanently extend the deadline for the mayor to publish the annual city budget.
- The City Council would have to give 30 days’ notice before voting on public safety laws. The mayor and affected city agencies could also hold public hearings during this time.
- The proposal would create a new role to support MWBEs, allow the mayor to designate which agency issues film permits, and merge two boards that manage city records into one.