Full Breakdown
Early Voting Begins for New York’s 2026 Primary Elections
6/13/2026, 1:16:36 AM
Early Voting
Early in-person voting runs Saturday, June 13 through Sunday, June 21. Primary Day, June 23, polls are open 6 a.m.–9 p.m. New York’s closed-primary permits only party-registered voters to cast a ballot.
Context
The closed-primary rule, unchanged since 1975, requires party enrollment by the June 13 registration deadline. In single-party districts, the primary effectively decides the November winner. The ballot includes governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, all state-senate and assembly seats, and ten contested congressional districts.
Timeline
- June 13: Voter registration deadline; early voting begins.
- June 13-21: Early-voting (hours vary).
- June 23: Primary; mail-in ballots must be postmarked.
Key Races
Key contests include Democrat Thomas R. Suozzi vs. Danielle Welch (3rd District), Grace Meng vs. Chuck Park (6th), an open 7th District with Vichal Kumar, Antonio Reynoso, Claire Valdez and Julie Won, Dan Goldman vs. Brad Lander (10th), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez vs. Felipe Garcia and Marty Dolan (14th). Incumbent Thomas DiNapoli faces challengers Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle for comptroller.
Numbers
New York has 26 congressional districts, ten contested; all 63 state-senate and 150 assembly seats appear on the ballot. Each county runs over 20 early-voting sites, about 200 statewide.
Voting Logistics
The NYC Board of Elections provides ballot-marking devices (rocker paddle, sip-and-puff, Braille keypad, touch screen) and translations in Bengali, Korean, Spanish and Chinese. Advocacy groups note that physical access to polling sites remains a significant barrier for voters with disabilities. Voters without a photo ID may use an affidavit ballot.
Official Statements
Board of Elections co-executive director Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky urged voters to “return their ballot early” to offset postal delays. The Board noted the new USPS postmark rule means a mailed ballot’s postmark shows processing date, not deposit date.
Opposition
Election officials warn the USPS postmark change could delay ballot delivery, urging earlier mail-in submissions. Disability advocates say accessibility gaps remain despite ADA-compliant polling sites.
Quotes
- “The most effective step voters can take is to return their ballot early. Doing so helps ensure their vote reaches election officials in a timely manner and eliminates uncertainty related to mail processing.” — Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky, co-executive director, Board of Elections
- “A postmark reflects the date a mail piece is processed at a postal facility rather than the date it was deposited in the mail.” — Board of Elections (comment on USPS changes)
- “Just getting in the door at neighborhood poll sites remains a significant barrier to voting for people with disabilities.” — Center for Independence of the Disabled New York
What's Next
Primary voters will cast ballots on June 23. Winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will appear on the November 3 general-election ballot, where most contested seats are expected to follow the primary outcomes.
