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Get out the Vote! Important information for students about registration, absentee ballots, campus polling and more

Andrew Bruso

The Center for Student Engagement leads the College’s voter registration efforts. At the start of a busy fall season for federal, state and local elections, we encourage all students to read the following information carefully to make sure they are registered and their vote is counted this November.

Students with questions about voting or voter registration can email Erica Wagner, assistant director of community and civic engagement, at wagnere@newpaltz.edu.

Confirm your Registration Status and (Re-)Register to Vote Now!

SUNY New Paltz students have the choice to register in your hometown or locally in the New Paltz area. Voter Registration is managed at the county level in New York State, so please be aware not only of the town/municipality in which you are registered to vote, but also the county.

You will only be able to vote in local elections for the county/municipality in which you are registered to vote. Some important information when choosing whether to register at home or in New Paltz:

  • Confirm your current registration status and polling location at https://www.elections.ny.gov/
  • (Re-)Register: If you have moved to a new address in the last year, you will need to complete a new Voter Registration Form to ensure your current address is correctly recorded. This includes:
    • Students who have moved to a different room on campus
    • Those who have moved home for remote learning
    • Those who moved onto campus for the first time.
  • Absentee or In-Person – How do you want to vote?
    • In-Person: If you registered to vote locally and wish to vote in person, then you will need to make sure you verify your polling site. You can check your polling location at any time using this link. Students who live on campus who are registered to vote in New Paltz will vote in the Student Union Multipurpose Room. Students living off campus will likely have a polling site in the village or town.
    • Absentee: You can vote by absentee ballot whether you decide to maintain voter registration in your hometown or register locally to New Paltz. However, if you choose to vote by absentee ballot this year, please be sure to note deadlines to request a ballot. We encourage you to complete this process as early as possible to avoid potential mail delays. See below for deadlines related to registration, absentee ballots and more.

Important deadlines for the Nov. 3 Presidential/General Election

  • Oct. 9: Last day to mail/postmark your voter registration form for General Election.
  • Oct. 10: Last day for in-person registration at a local board of election or state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act.
  • Oct. 14: Last day for in-person registration at a board of elections office; also last day to change your address with the board of elections.
  • Oct. 24: Last day for individuals who have been honorably discharged from the U.S. Military to register in-person at the Board of Elections. Also the last day for those who became a naturalized U.S. Citizen after Oct. 10, 2020 to register in person at the Board of Elections.
  • Oct. 24 – Nov. 1: Early voting. In Ulster County, five early voting locations will be open, and registered voters can vote at any of the sites during their hours of operation. Use this link for the addresses and operating hours for Ulster County early voting locations.
    • Please note that, while voters can vote early at any of these locations, those who choose to vote in person on Election Day (Nov. 3) must vote at their designated polling site.
  • Oct. 27: Last day to mail/postmark an absentee ballot application for general election.
  • Nov. 2: Last day to apply in person at a Board of Elections office for an absentee ballot application for general election. Also last day to mail/postmark completed absentee ballot.
  • Nov. 3: Election Day. Also last day to deliver completed absentee ballot in person to the county Board of Elections, by the close of the polls at 9 p.m.

Where to Get Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Forms

How to Find Contact Information for Your County Board of Election

Paid Opportunity for Registered Voters: Ulster County Seeks Election Inspectors and Poll Workers

If you are a registered voter in Ulster County, you can apply to be an Election Inspector/Poll Worker. This is a paid opportunity at $15 per hour and paid training is required. Use this link to learn more. To apply, download and fill out the Election Inspector Form, and e-mail a competed form to pollinspectors@co.ulster.ny.us.

Those who are selected will be paid for training. All training takes place at the Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) facility at 1 Danny Circle in Kingston, New York). The Ulster County Board of Elections will reimburse you for travel to and from training.

See the UCAT R Route schedule for information on using public transit to get to the training location.

As a reminder, this opportunity is only available to individuals who are registered to vote in Ulster County.

Students with Disabilities

The Disability Resource Center serves as the campus site coordinator for those who request or apply for accommodations or services with the on-campus polling location. The staff in the Disability Resource Center will assist students who request accommodations with completing and submitting their voter registration materials. Contact the Disability Resource Center at 845-257-3020 for more information.

Additional Resources:

NYS Board of Elections (http://www.elections.ny.gov/INDEX.html)

NYS State Voter Registration (http://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html)

Instructions for Voting Absentee (http://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html)

Ulster County Board of Elections (http://ulstercountyny.gov/elections)

New Paltz Campus Guidelines for Political Campaigning, Distribution of Campaign Materials and Activity (http://www.newpaltz.edu/current/politicalpolicy.html)