In 1984, Coalition for the Homeless filed the lawsuit Pitts v. Black, which guaranteed the right to vote for homeless New Yorkers living in shelters, on the street, or in welfare hotels.
Nothing. Arrive at your poll site on election day. As long as you registered to vote before that year’s deadline, you do not need to show identification in order to vote. Ideally, you should vote in the district where you registered or previously voted. However, you can instead vote in the district where you now live by using an affidavit or paper ballot. Voters can also participate in early voting, but the poll site for early voting may be different. For more information about your poll site, contact the NYC Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC.
At the poll site, you will see tables and voting machines set up for your election district and others. At the table for your district, you will be asked to sign next to a facsimile of your signature on an alphabetized, computerized polling list. If your name does not appear on the roster, ask for an affidavit or paper ballot.
If your name does not appear on the computerized polling list or you are told that you are not eligible to vote, ask for an affidavit or paper ballot. After each election, the Board of Elections will check its records, and your vote will be counted if you are indeed eligible to vote. If not, you will receive a notice that you are not eligible, along with a registration application for future elections. You may also call one of the numbers listed below for assistance on the day of the election.
NYC Board of Elections: 1-866-VOTE-NYC (toll-free)NY Attorney General Election Hotline: 1-800-771-7755Coalition for the Homeless: 212-776-2003