Deadline Nears to Register to Vote for NY Primaries

The Sunday after next is the deadline to register to be able to vote in next month’s political primaries.

Applications must be postmarked no later than August 19 and received by a Board of Elections no later than August 24 for people to be eligible to vote. New Yorkers can also register on the online voter registration service on the Department of Motor Vehicles’ website.

On the ballot Sept. 13 — the day after Tzom Gedaliah — in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo faces a stiff challenge for a third term by Cynthia Nixon, a liberal activist who is seeking to harness the recent socialist mood to defeat Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

The more interesting race is for lieutenant governor, who stands in for the governor when he is out of state and serves as a tie-breaker in the Senate. Kathy Hochul, the incumbent, faces insurgent Brooklyn Councilman Jumaane Williams. Polls indicate a tight race. If both Williams and Cuomo were to win their primaries, it would lead to the first time in 30 years that a governor is saddled with a running mate he does not want.

Also on the ballot is a race to replace Eric Schneiderman, who resigned as state attorney general. Barbara Underwood, who is temporarily the state’s top law enforcement official, is not running for a full term.

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James is running as the establishment candidate, backed by Cuomo and other top officials. She vowed to go after President Donald Trump if she wins. “I’ve got my eyes on Trump Tower,” she tweeted on Monday.

Others in the mix are Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of Orange County, Zephyr Teachout and Leecia Eve.

All assemblymen are on the ballot, though many do not face primary challengers. In Boro Park and Midwood, Simcha Eichenstein does not face a challenger in his bid to replace Dov Hikind, who is retiring after 34 years in the Assembly.

The general election in on Nov. 7.