Research Your Ballot

Your ballot isn’t a pop quiz; you can review it beforehand to understand the candidates running for federal, state, and local offices, as well as any ballot measures or amendments. By taking the time to research and understand your ballot, you can confidently cast your vote in alignment with your values and beliefs. By taking just a little time before you vote, you can make your voting process easy and stress-free. 

Ballotready

National sample ballot lookup

Vote411

Votesmart

Vote.org

• The details of your ballot depend on 1) your address, 2) your election district, and 3) your party registration. NOTE FOR PRIMARIES: On your primary election ballot, you will only see candidates from the party you are registered with, and only for contested races in your district.

• Checking Your Ballot

  • Visit any of the links suggested above to view details about your ballot. You will be asked to provide your address; you should provide the address where you are registered to vote. This is the address that will dictate the details of your ballot. If you are registered at a home address but live on campus (or rent in the local community), you can consider reregistering at that address so that you can vote in person, locally, and contribute to the political landscape of the area where you are living during the academic year.
  • Registering to vote on-campus  (only available as an option to those who have an on-campus address) can be complicated due to our mailing system. You are highly encouraged to get support from the team in the Center for Civic Justice to process this registration. For more information, visit our Voting Information page.

  • Important Reminders

    1. 1. Check your political party registration status before the deadline; while you are not required to register with a specific party, most states require that you select a party affiliation in order to vote in primary elections. NYS specific: Check your registered party affiliation (if any) at the Board of Elections website.
    2. 2. Check whether your state has open or closed primaries. This is the determining factor whether or not you're required to have a party affiliation in order to participate in primary elections.
    3. 3. Look up your sample ballot before voting. All links at the top of the page can provide this resource.
    4. 4. Make sure you are registered to vote at the address where you plan to vote. You can review nationwide information on Vote.org, or visit the NYS Board of Elections website (if you know you are registered in the state.)