NYC Mayoral Election 2013: Where and How to Vote on Nov. 5

Election day is tomorrow, and New Yorkers will make the final decision as to who will be the mayor of America's largest city. Votes will also determine who is elected to the New York Supreme Court, Appelate Division & Supreme Court 5th Municipal District, in addition to other municipal elections.

But there are specific qualifications that people must meet in order to vote in New York City. According to the NYC Board of Elections, a person must be registered to vote in the city of New York. Registration must be delivered or mailed at least 25 days before the next election for it to be effective in that election. Hence, if you are not currently registered for this election, you will unable to vote.

For those registered to vote, the polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. You can find your polling location site by searching with the Online Poll Site Address Locator, or by calling the Voter Phone Bank at 1.866.VOTE.NYC. Or, email your complete home address to vote@boe.nyc.ny.us and you will be emailed your polling location place. Be sure to include the borough where you live in the subject line.

Polling places are also accessible to handicapped individuals; 99 percent of all polling locations are handicapped accessible.

When at the voting location, you will not need to show ID. New York does not require registered voters to show identification when voting in person, Election Protection confirms.

When it is your turn to vote, an election official will ask your full name and address, and they will then say your name and address. You will then sign your name on the back of your registration poll record. Two poll officials will compare the signature with the signature on the registration poll record. If the signatures match, you can vote.

If you did not provide identification with your voter registration form, you will be asked for current and valid identification when you vote for the first time. Current and valid identification includes: a driver's license or department of motor vehicles non-driver photo ID card or other current and valid photo ID, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.

If you are not registered to vote for this election, make sure you are registered to vote for the next one. To register to vote, a person must be:

1. A a citizen of the United States (includes those born in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

2. A New York City resident for at least 30 days.

3. 18 years of age before the next election.

A person must also not be serving a jail sentence or be on parole for a felony conviction, as well as not claim the right to vote elsewhere, outside of NYC.

You can register to vote in person or at one of the NYC Board of Elections offices. You can also register to vote online if you have a valid ID from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Registration forms can also be obtained from libraries, post offices, and most NYC government agencies. The application must be filled out in pen using blue or black ink, and must be signed.

Mail the voter registration form to:

Board of Elections in the City of New York
New York, NY 10004-1609

For more questions concerning voting in NYC, call the NYC Board of Elections at 1.212.487.5400.