Overview of Election Day Operations

Election Day is Tuesday in New York City and across the nation. Here’s a summary of what to expect regarding the availability of government offices and public buildings during the election.

Polling Hours

When do polls open and close?
In New York, polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Residents can locate their polling place by visiting vote.nyc/page/find-your-poll-site.

What is Closed on Election Day?

Election Day is a recognized state holiday in New York, leading to the closure of several key institutions:

• City Hall and all state government offices and courts will be closed.
• New York City schools will also be closed, meaning no classes for students and no work for teachers, as many schools serve as polling places.
• Manhattan Federal Court will be closed, while Brooklyn Federal Court will remain open.

What Will Be Open on Election Day?

Despite being a state holiday, some services will continue to operate:

• Federal government offices will be open, as Election Day is not a federal holiday.
• The Department of Motor Vehicles will maintain regular hours.
• Public libraries will also be open for patrons.

Transit Operations

What about public transit?

• Subways will operate on a normal schedule, according to the MTA.
• NJ Transit does not recognize Election Day as a holiday, so services will run as usual.
• The Staten Island Ferry will also follow its regular schedule.
• Metro-North service will see slight alterations, with 94% of normal trains running; changes will affect certain rush hour schedules. Detailed Election Day train schedules can be viewed online.

City Services on Election Day

Due to the state holiday, some city services will be affected:

• Trash pickup will not occur on Election Day. Areas scheduled for pickup on Tuesday will have their garbage collected on Wednesday.
• Street cleaning will be suspended, and alternate side parking rules are not in effect. However, all other parking regulations will remain active.

Voter Registration and Identification

Can I still register to vote?
No, voter registration for the 2024 general election in New York ended on October 26. Only Connecticut in the tristate area offers same-day registration.

Do I need an ID to vote?
No identification will be required for New Yorkers at the polls, provided they have submitted sufficient ID during the voter registration process. According to state law, only those who did not provide adequate identification when registering will be asked for ID.

Trivia

• Did you know that Election Day was established in the U.S. in 1845? It was set on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November to accommodate farmers who needed time to travel to polling places after the harvest.
• New York City has over 1,300 polling places, making it one of the largest voting operations in the country!