New York’s presidential primary elections are scheduled for Tuesday, April 2nd—quite soon, with less than 3 weeks remaining. For many of us, this will mark the first time we are able to cast our votes. Given that most of us are unfamiliar with the process or the significance of a primary election, here’s a brief explainer to guide you through it.
What is a primary election?
A primary election is conducted on the state level in each state by each political party to select their respective candidates for president. Your vote in the primary doesn’t directly elect a candidate into office but rather selects them for their party’s nomination for the general election on November 5th, 2024.
For example, suppose the two major parties are Harry Potter and Star Wars, and you vote for Ron Weasley during the primary among other Harry Potter characters. In that case, you’re indicating your preference for him to be selected over the other characters from Harry Potter to compete against the would be Star Wars’ nominee in the general election come November.
Who is on the ballot?
Like mentioned above, since the candidates vary from party to party, a Democratic ballot will differ from a Republican one. It’s also important to note that New York operates as a “closed primary state,” meaning you must be registered with a specific party to participate in their primary. For instance, if you wish to vote for a Republican candidate in the Republican primary, you need to be a registered Republican voter, and similarly but vice versa for the Democratic Primary. Here is a list of your options:
Although most candidates on the ballot— except for the frontrunners—have dropped out of the presidential race, you still have the option to cast a vote for them if you choose to do so. According to the New York State Board of Elections, suspending a campaign does not automatically remove a candidate’s name from the ballot; therefore, the candidate must request for their name to be removed, which is rare.
When can you vote?
To vote in the presidential primary, you must be registered to vote (and also be eighteen-years of age) by March 23rd, and be registered with the party whose primary you intend to vote in.
Voting in New York, you have multiple options on how to vote: you can either send in an early mail or absentee ballot (if you qualify), vote early in person, or vote in person on Primary Day. You can apply for an early mail or absentee ballot on the New York Elections website at least 10 days before the primary. Those ballots then need to be received by your county Board of Elections by April 9.
Early voting starts on Saturday, March 23 and lasts till Saturday, March 30. On Primary Day the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Primary Day in New York, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. For early voting, polls are open at various times based on your polling location (the location where you vote). The polling location varies depending on where you reside.
You can find your poll location at https://vote.nyc/page/find-your-poll-site.
Why does your vote matter?
By this point, most states have already held their primary elections and selected their candidates for the General Presidential Election on November 5th, 2024. It’s true that Joe Biden and Donald Trump have already secured their respective parties’ nominations for president—setting the stage for a rematch of the 2020 election. However, your vote still remains important.
Voting for a candidate—regardless whether they are the frontrunner—communicates the sentiment of your community to the national, state, and local party structures. For instance, if your neighborhood overwhelmingly supports Nikki Haley over Donald Trump, it sends a clear message to the Republican Party that they may need to adjust their policies or messaging to better align with your community’s values.
This means your vote has the potential to influence the direction of policy at both the state and national levels. So, regardless of the apparent outcome, your participation in the electoral process can still have a significant impact, and it’s also fun!
So don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. Always vote, vote, vote; that is the America way.
Sample Ballot for the Democratic Primary:
Sample Ballot for the Republican Primary:
