What's left to know ahead of Election Day in New York

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Polling places should be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on November 5 for the general election. New Yorkers can expect familiar names on the presidential ballot:

Voters can also write candidates in, but only those certified by the State Board of Elections:

New Yorkers will also select a senator:

To vote, you must be an American citizen, a resident of New York for at least 30 days, 18 or older by Election Day, and registered. If you're registered in another state, currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, or specifically banned by a judge, you can't vote in New York.

First-time voters might have to show identification if they forgot their social security number or driver’s license number when initially registering to vote. Accepted IDs would include a driver’s license or state-issued ID, passport, utility bill, bank statement, or a paycheck confirming your name and address. The vast majority of New Yorkers won't need an ID to vote.

Being physically present in the county on Election Day does not invalidate an absentee ballot. Still, absentee voters who decide to vote in person instead can't do so by machine. They have to fill out an affidavit ballot at the polls, counted when officials confirm that no absentee ballot already got submitted.

Military members, their spouses, and dependents registered in New York can vote by absentee ballot in all races as if voting in person. The deadline to apply in person for a military absentee ballot is November 4. Military and overseas absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, November 5, and arrive at the County Board of Elections by November 18 to be counted.

In New York, a vote counts even if it's cast during early voting by someone who then dies before Election Day. For mail-in or absentee ballots, it depends on whether the envelope with the ballot was already unsealed upon officials learning about the death. If the ballot was already processed, it counts, but if it's still sealed and officials know the voter died before Election Day, it doesn't.

New York’s Voter Bill of Rights ensures that voters can cast their ballots in private, and the state also accommodates voters with disabilities. Such voters have the right to accessible voting voting systems, assistance options, and polling places. They can request a ballot marking device, vote by accessible mail-in ballot, access ADA-compliant polling sites, and bring a helper of their choice—except for their boss or an agent from their labor union.

In some cases, ballots can be marked independently at home through an online application. But polling sites also regularly get updated to stay in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Voters with disabilities can move to the front of the line, request seating, or have someone hold their place in line. In case of a problem, you can lodge complaints with the Attorney General, the Board of Elections, or the U.S. Department of Justice for civil rights issues. Accessible complaint forms are available.

To head off potential cybersecurity issues, voting machines in New York do not connect to the internet. And before using new machines, counties must complete acceptance testing. The State Board provides the necessary on-site testing software at the County Board office. They test voting mechanisms—including touchscreens and pushbuttons—and ballot configurations— including write-in candidates and ballots that fail with too many or too few votes for a given office.

Any machine that fails either of two prequalification tests cannot be used until it's fixed. New York uses four types of voting machines: Clear Ballot, Dominion, Hart Verity, and Elections Systems & Software:

New Yorkers who don't have four hours in a row outside their work shift to vote can take paid time off for up to two hours on Election Day. Someone with a 9 to 5 work schedule wouldn't qualify, because the polls are open for another four hours after punch time. But someone working from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. would have only three hours before or after, which would qualify.

Employees must inform their employer at least two working days in advance. This means that, if they're closed on the weekends, you should notify them no later than November 1. Employees should contact the Department of Labor, the Attorney General's Office, or their local County Board of Elections if their employer denies paid time off for voting. Nor can they force workers to use their personal time off, instead.

New Yorkers who show up at the wrong polling site can still have their votes counted. If poll workers don't have a voter registration on file, they'll provide an affidavit ballot. The vote would still apply if the voter was still in the right county and Assembly District.

Absentee ballots undergo signature checks upon arrival and were scheduled to enter vote-counting machines on October 25, one a day before early voting began. The final tallying starts one hour before polls close on Election Day. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day must reach county boards by November 12 to count.

After the polls close, officials validate and certify the votes. Counties certify local counts within 25 days, with state certification expected around November 11—the Monday after the first Wednesday after Election Day.

Attorney General Letitia James alone can contest a general election outcome, and only via legal action. If you or someone you know encounters a problem at the polls, contact her election hotline at (866) 390-2992, or file a complaint online at electionhotline.ag.ny.gov. The hotline should stay open through November 6.