Important Election Dates for 2021
Organized by
Community Event
Date
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 to
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Description
The Primary Election is June 22 and the General Election is November 2.
New this year! Ranked choice voting will be used for New York City offices: Mayor, Borough President, Comptroller, City Council Members and Public Advocate. Learn about ranked choice voting and the new ballot from the NYC Campaign Finance Board’s guide nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/ranked-choice-voting and FAQs nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/ranked-choice-voting-faqs.
Primary elections determine which candidates will appear on the ballot for your party. In New York State, you must be registered with a political party in order to vote in that party's Primary Election on June 22, 2021.
It is a best practice to verify your voter registration at nycvotersearch.com, Check your polling place and generate a sample ballot (when the ballot is ready). The sample ballot will show you who the candidates will be on your ballot, and will show you a ballot using the Ranked Choice Voting format for local candidates.
February 16 Deadline to change your party enrollment for the Primary Election (extended for 2 days by Governor's Executive Order). Changes received on or after February 15 until seven days after the June Primary will be set aside and opened the seventh day following the June Primary and entered in the voter's registration record. Re-register to change your party enrollment vote.nyc/page/register-vote.
April 29 Candidate information will be posted on the NYC Board of Elections website.
May 28 Deadline to Register to Vote in the June Primary. You can register to vote by mail, in person, or online with a New York State Drivers License or Identification Card at dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application. Or call 866-VOTE-NYC (866-686-3692) to have your voter registration card mailed to you for you to complete and return by mail. Voter registration forms must be received by the BOE by June 2 for the Primary Election. Register by downloading, completing and mailing a voter registration form at vote.nyc/page/register-vote. If your address changes, you must re-register.
May 13 7 - 9pm, Primary Election Candidate Debate (Mayoral Democratic) On Spectrum News NY1. In addition, NYC Media will broadcast the first of several election debates on NYC Gov/Channel 25.2 (Channel 74 on Spectrum and Altice, Channel 24 on FiOS, and Channel 81 on RCN). The Primary Election is on June 22; early voting is from June 12-20. The full debate schedule is on the New York City Campaign Finance Board's website at nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/debates.
June 2 Deadline for Change of Address notifications for the Primary Election. Re-register to submit a Change of Address notification.
June 15 Last Day to Apply for an Absentee Ballot for the Primary Election. Request your Absentee Ballot online at NYCabsentee.com. Download, complete, and mail your absentee ballot application at Vote.nyc. Absentee Ballot Application in English vote.nyc/sites/default/files/pdf/forms/absenteevoting/AbsenteeBallot-English.pdf. Absentee Ballot Application Forms in other languages at the bottom of page vote.nyc/page/publications-forms.
June 12 - 20 Early Voting for the Primary Election. Check your registration status online to get your early voting polling places at nycvotersearch.com. You'll have to enter some personal information (name, address, date of birth).
June 22 Primary Election
November 2 General Election
USEFUL LINKS
New York City Board of Elections vote.nyc
The NYC BOE validates voter registrations, validates the candidates, prepares the ballots, mails out absentee ballots, manages the polling places, counts the votes, and certifies election results.
New York City Campaign Finance Board nyccfb.info
The NYCCFB provides non-partisan information and training for candidates and the public.
NYCCFB Candidate Debate schedule nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/debates
NYCCFB Election calendar nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/election-calendar
NYCCFB information about the candidates and more nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/vgwelcome. Voter Guide for the primary elections has not yet been posted.
New York State Board of Elections elections.ny.gov
New York State Political Calendar 2021 elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/law/2021PoliticalCalendar.pdf
Check if you are registered to vote vote.nyc/page/am-i-registered. When the ballot is ready, you will be able to generate a sample ballot on the Results page.
Voter Registration Form (mail in form) vote.nyc/sites/default/files/pdf/forms/voterreg/Voter_Registration_2020_English_WEB.pdf
ARTICLES AND INFORMATION
Individual Contributions to Participating 2021 Candidates nyccfb.info/follow-the-money/cunymap-2021
You can see data by zip code here.
Mayor
What Does The Mayor of New York City Do?
February 2, 2021, gothamist.com, by Brigid Bergin, WNYC
Related: What does New York City’s mayor do?
[Source: City & State's Excelsior email, January 28, 2021]
What does the city’s mayor even do, besides show up at ribbon-cuttings with a pair of absurdly large scissors?..the mayor...is in charge of the city’s various public services, including running the city’s public schools, its police department and providing help to homeless people, just to name a few. The mayor also oversees all city legislation that is introduced or passed by the City Council and can either sign legislation into city law or veto it. And most importantly the mayor is in charge of the city budget – which happens to be the largest municipal budget in the U.S. – and prioritizes what programs are funded...given the current public health crisis, the mayor’s job has become considerably harder over the past year.
Where Do Mayoral Candidates Stand On The Future Of Policing?
March 19, 2021, gothamist.com, by Gwynne Hogan, WNYC
Mayoral hopefuls face questions on homelessness from New Yorkers living in shelter
February 4, 2021, politico.com, by Janaki Chadha
Mayoral Candidates on Homelessness
UWS Open Hearts followed up with the 2021 NYC mayoral candidates, asking questions from New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.
Democratic Mayoral Candidates Offer Ideas for Addressing Food Insecurity
February 10, 2021, gothamgazette.com, by Ethan Geringer-Sameth
Decision NYC: Ray McGuire Discusses His Campaign for Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10141-decision-nyc-ray-mcguire-runs-nyc-mayor-2021
Decision NYC: Dianne Morales Discusses Her Run for Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10123-decision-nyc-dianne-morales-runs-nyc-mayor-2021
Decision NYC: Bill Pepitone Discusses His Run for Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10119-decision-nyc-bill-pepitone-runs-nyc-mayor-2021
Decision NYC: Curtis Sliwa Discusses His Run for Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10117-decision-nyc-curtis-sliwa-runs-nyc-mayor-2021
Decision NYC: Isaac Wright Jr. Discusses His Run for Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10120-decision-nyc-isaac-wright-jr-runs-nyc-mayor-2021
Decision NYC: Zach Iscol Discusses His Campaign gothamgazette.com/city/10124-decision-nyc-zach-iscol-campaign-comptroller-2021
WATCH: 30 Minutes with the Candidates for New York City Mayor gothamgazette.com/city/10101-interviews-2021-candidates-new-york-city-mayor-decision-nyc
City Council
What Does A NYC City Council Member Do?
February 3, 2021, gothamist.com, by Cindy Rodriguez
Borough President
What Does A Borough President Actually Do?
February 4, 2021, gothamist.com, by David Cruz
District Attorney
What You Need to Know About New York’s District Attorney Races in 2021
January 31, 2021, thecity.nyc, by Rachel Holliday Smith
The race for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance’s seat is crowded and fierce. Here’s the rundown on the candidates and more ahead of the June 22 primary.
WATCH: 30 Minutes with the Candidates for Manhattan District Attorney
March 19, 2021, gothamgazette.com
Manhattan DA candidate Dan Quart releases ‘do-not-prosecute’ list
November 11, 2020, nydailynews.com, by Shant Shahrigian
Manhattan D.A. Candidate Explains Why She'll Stop Prosecuting Drug Offenses and Sex Work
February 5, 2021, theappeal.org, by Daniel Nichanian
Tahanie Aboushi discusses her newly expanded proposal to not prosecute offenses that criminalize poverty, mental health issues, and substance use, and to reduce incarceration for all cases.
Comptroller
City Comptroller Candidates Seek to Set Themselves Apart at Brooklyn Democrats' Debate
February 2, 2021, gothamgazette.com, by Samar Khurshid
Recorded event: Candidate Forum: NYC Comptroller Race in 2021
youtube.com/watch?v=AdK-te0SM4Y&feature=youtu.be
Presented by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
Public Advocate
Who's Running For Public Advocate?
February 22, 2021, gothamist.com, by Afia Eama
Amendments to the New York State Constitution
New Yorkers will vote on Green Amendment in November
March 19, 2021, timesunion.com, by Rick Karlin
This November voters will decide whether the state constitution should be amended to include a right to clean air and water, as well as a “healthy environment.”...A Green Amendment codifying environmental rights would be a landmark move that could have sweeping impacts on how New Yorkers deal with pollution issues and on how industry operates going forward. But certain industries fear that having such rights in the constitution might spur lawsuits against air or water polluters that are operating under existing legal emissions permits granted by the state. It also could put municipalities and even state government on the hook for allowing or permitting operations that violate the right to a clean environment and make companies think twice before starting or permitting new projects that could result in air or water pollution...the legislature has not defined what constitutes these rights, leaving it to the courts and endless litigation to determine...