National Voter Registration Day: How To Be Vote-Ready In Midtown

MIDTOWN, NY — While the 2020 presidential election saw record voter turnout in the United States, nearly 1 in 4 eligible Americans still aren’t registered to vote. A single day in September hopes to change that in Midtown.

National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 28 this year. Observed since 2012, this nonpartisan civic holiday helps reach tens of thousands of voters who may not otherwise register.

In 2020 and with the help of more than 5,000 community partners, more than 1.5 million eligible voters registered on National Voter Registration Day.

This year’s voter registration drive comes during a crucial period in American democracy.

Nearly 1 in 5 states passed restrictive election laws following the 2020 presidential election that tighten absentee voting windows and impose new rules around casting ballots and running elections.

Still, with the right knowledge and a bit of preparation and planning, registering to vote can still be an easy, seamless process.

Here’s what you need to know about National Voter Registration Day and how to register in Midtown:

What Is National Voter Registration Day?

National Voter Registration Day is a coordinated effort by communities, workplaces, libraries, college campuses and other entities across the country, all of which share a common goal — to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities in their communities.

Events are planned across the country to mark the day, including in Midtown. View all New York City events to mark the day here.

Does National Voter Registration Day actually work?

Nearly 4.5 million voters have registered since the event’s inception, according to the campaign’s website. More than 300,000 Americans registered to vote on the inaugural National Voter Registration Day in 2012. In 2019, 473,725 people registered to vote before that number skyrocketed to 1.5 million in 2020.

How have election laws changed in New York?

Following the 2020 election, nine states passed legislation that sponsors say improves election security. Critics, however, say the legislation makes it harder for people to vote.

In Kansas, one law effectively shuts down voter registration drives by making it a felony to impersonate an election official, according to a National Public Radio report, a standard that could depend entirely on impressions. In Montana, state lawmakers eliminated Election Day voter registration.

In New York, one new law eases voter registration in the state, NPR reports. Lawmakers also advanced proposed constitutional amendments to eliminate the requirement that people have an excuse to vote by mail, and to eliminate the voter registration deadline that’s 10 days before Election Day.

How do I register to vote in Midtown?

Registering to vote in Midtown is simple. New York offers online voter registration. Residents can register by mail to vote in New York by printing a voter registration form, filling it out, and mailing it to their local election office. They can also register to vote in person.

Residents can also register to vote directly on National Voter Registration Day’s website.

Know election deadlines in New York.

Less than one-third of people who voted in the 2020 presidential election did so in person after states expanded mail-in balloting and early voting due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

In fact, 2020 was the first time in the history of the survey that a majority of voters did not cast their ballots in person on Election Day.

While new laws may have changed the landscape of mail-in voting, it’s important to know when you need to register by, as well as other key election deadlines in New York.