DMV’s Online Voter Registration System Sets New One-Day Record with Nearly 14,000 Applications Received on March 18
Deadline Rapidly Approaching to Register in Time for the April Presidential Primary
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an unprecedented surge in last-minute online voter registration activity less than one month before the New York State presidential primary. Between March 10 and March 20, MyDMV, the state’s first and only online voter registration system, processed more than 40,883 voter registration applications, including 20,889 from first-time voters. MyDMV also set an all-time record on Friday, March 18 with 13,961 voter registration applications received, including 7,128 from first-time voters. New Yorkers must register by March 25 in order to cast ballots in the upcoming presidential primaries on April 19.
“Our online voter registration portal is key in this administration’s efforts to knock down barriers to democracy and encourage more participation in the electoral process,” Governor Cuomo said. “I encourage anyone who needs to register, or update their information, to join the growing number of New Yorkers using this simple and convenient tool to ensure their eligibility to vote in the upcoming presidential primaries.”
By following a few simple steps, New Yorkers can easily sign up for a secure MyDMV account and register to vote or access a variety of other services like updating a home address. To create an account, individuals must use their New York State driver license, permit or non-driver ID, last four digits of their Social Security Number, and the ZIP code currently listed on their driver license, permit, or non-driver ID record. Upon completion, DMV sends the voter registration applications to the County Boards of Elections for action. New Yorkers can use the New York State Board of Elections’ website to check their voter registration status.
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said, “Business is definitely picking up on the MyDMV voter registration website and we couldn’t be more pleased with these results. Casting a ballot to vote on the future of our country is one of the most fundamentally important things we can do as Americans. There’s still time left to register and I encourage anyone who has yet to do so to visit the MyDMV website today.”
To register to vote, a New Yorker must:
- Be a United States citizen.
- Be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you submit the form (note: you must be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary or other election in which you want to vote).
- Live at your present address at least 30 days before an election.
- Not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction.
- Not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court.
- Not claim the right to vote elsewhere.
Click here to see a list of frequently asked questions about the voter registration application process. For more information about the Department of Motor Vehicles, visitdmv.ny.gov.
