Helping You Voice Your Vote: An election day guide

Are You Ready for Election Day?
A few tips to help you Voice Your Vote. #MuslimVote

CAIR-NY would like to extend its thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and we would also like to remind you all that election day will continue tomorrow as scheduled despite the devastation we all witnessed last week and are experiencing in the storm's aftermath. Please review this short guide to voting below to help you fufill your civic duty to vote on election day.

1.  LOCATING YOUR POLLING LOCATION:  Polls across New York will be open from 6AM to 9PM on Tuesday November 6, 2012.  

·     You can find your polling location online by entering the address you provided when you registered to vote at the State Election Board website here: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm.

·     NOTE POLL SITE CHANGES: Due to Hurrican Sandy storm damage, the New York State Election Board has changed or combined various polling locations. CAIR-NY urges voters to check where their polling location is by using the online poll locater before election day, and by viewing the changes at this link: 

http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/documents/boe/2012GeneralElection/pollsitechangepostsandy.pdf.

2.  KNOW YOUR VOTER RIGHTS: Please review the voter rights guide found on the website of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) for a better understanding of your rights as a voter.  

·     VOTING IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH: Some New York counties require polling sites to provide Spanish, Chinese, Korean or Bengali ballots. Contact your local board of elections prior to Election Day to learn what is available in your area. If language assistance is not required in your area, you have the right to bring an interpreter with you to the polls. The interpreter can be any person who is not an employer, an agent of an employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union.

·     NYCLU also encourages voters to REPORT VIOLATIONS OF VOTER RIGHTS by making a complaint with the person in charge of the polling location, reporting a complaint to a present volunteer poll watcher working with a non-profit or a campaign, and by reaching out to the Voter Protection Hotline online or by phone at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) anytime before or after voting. 

3.  ABSENTEE VOTING: You must have submitted an application for absentee voting in order to use an absentee ballot.

·     Absentee Voting in person can be done at your State Election Board Borough office today until 5PM, or tomorrow from 6AM-9PM.

·     Absentee Voting via mail must be postmarked no later than today (Monday, Nov 5), or delivered in person to your State Election Board Borough Office no later than today (Monday, Nov 5).

·     EMERGENCY ABSENTEE BALLOT: If, due to an accident or sudden illness, you are unable to go to the polls on election day, you may send a representative with an authorized letter to submit both an Absentee Ballot Application and Absentee Ballot no later than 9PM on election day at your Board of Elections Borough Office.