Your guide to voting in New York’s 2026 gubernatorial and congressional elections

Election Day is November 3, and it’s time to choose New York’s next governor, attorney general and members of Congress.

Will voters give Gov. Kathy Hochul a second full term? Or will they replace her with Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Republican executive with close ties to President Donald Trump? Will Attorney General Letitia James retain her role as the state’s top law enforcement official? And how will New York City voters decide on a series of ballot issues championed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani?

While you’re waiting in line to vote, here’s a look at the candidates, voting questions and other information.

How and when to vote in New York

If you want to vote in person, you can find your voting site at vote.nyc.

But you will have to remember these key dates:

October 24: In-person early voting begins. Find your early voting site here. Note that times differ depending on the day, so check the schedule before going to vote. This is also the last day for new voter registration, either online or in person at your polling location.

November 1: Early voting ends.

November 2: Last day to apply in person for an absentee or absentee ballot at your county election board office.

November 3: Election day. Polling stations are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Find your polling location here. (This is probably different from your early voting site). Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by November 3.

New York candidates for governor

Kathy Hochul, Democrat (incumbent)

Political priorities: Universal child care and building more housing. Adopted a moratorium on large data centers. Sent utility rebate checks up to $200.

RESUME: Became the state’s first female governor in 2021 after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo. Previously, he served as Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Representative, and Erie County Clerk.

Quote: “Your family is my fight. »

Bruce Blakeman, Republican

Political priorities: Reduce income taxes and reduce utility bills. Opposes sanctuary policies that restrict state cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Opposes the data center moratorium.

RESUME: First elected to the Nassau County Executive in 2021. Previously, he served as a member of the Hempstead Town Council and as a Port Authority Commissioner.

Quote: “We can’t afford four more years of Kathy Hochul.”

New York candidates for attorney general

Letitia James, Democrat (incumbent)

Political priorities: Cracking down on illegal firearms and ghost guns, protecting the legal rights of immigrants, and prosecuting predatory lenders and lenders. Sued the Trump administration more than 50 times.

RESUME: Attorney General since 2019. Previously, he served as New York City’s public defender, making her the first Black woman to win and hold citywide office, and as a member of the New York City Council representing parts of Brooklyn.

Quote: “No one is above the law, not even the president.”

Saritha Komatireddy, Republican

Political priorities: More prosecution of street crimes, such as shoplifting and drug trafficking. Audit and investigate homeless shelters. Investigate waste, fraud and abuse in the public and private sectors.

RESUME: Former Assistant United States Attorney in Brooklyn, where she helped prosecute the leaders of Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the Mexican drug cartels. Former chief of staff of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration during the Biden administration.

Quote: “Public safety is not optional. It is time for accountability, action and real change.”

New York candidates for state comptroller

Tom DiNapoli, Democrat (incumbent)

Political priorities: Investments in Transition Funds to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2040. Audit every school district in the state on a rotating cycle. Increased the pension fund to its all-time high of $291 billion.

RESUME: Second longest-serving comptroller in state history, first elected to the position in 2007. Former member of the State Assembly representing Nassau County.

Quote: “Transparency is essential so New Yorkers can hold their government and elected officials accountable. »

Joseph Hernández, Republican

Political priorities: Aggressively audit state agencies, public authorities and programs. Review state contracts. Create a $10 billion “Empire Opportunity Fund” to invest in emerging businesses and industries, similar to a sovereign wealth fund.

RESUME: Long-time Wall Street investor, currently Founder and Senior Managing Partner of Blue Water Venture Partners. Cuban refugee who fled the country at the age of 7.

Quote: “Fraud and abuse in New York are out of control.”

Voting Questions in New York

Voters will find five questions on the back of their ballot. You can read our full breakdown of each question here.

The commission that drafted the proposals states that they:

• Streamline the approval process for pedestrian ramps, benches and sidewalk cafes.
• Modernize municipal contracts to expand opportunities for small businesses and nonprofits.
• Accelerate road safety projects and activation of underutilized urban properties.
• Simplify the building permit process.
• Require contributions to the rainy day fund to strengthen long-term fiscal resilience.

Congressional races

17th District, Northern Westchester County and Hudson Valley

Mike Lawler, Republican (incumbent)

Political priorities: Led the battle to expand the state and local tax deduction. Opposes sanctuary policies. Supports the reopening of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant.

RESUME: First elected to the House in 2022. Previously served in the State Assembly.

Quote: “I am proud to have been ranked among the most bipartisan and effective members of Congress. »

Cait Conley, Democrat

Political priorities: Supports a public option for health insurance, prohibiting members of Congress from trading stocks and creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

RESUME: Former director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council under President Joe Biden. Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Quote: “You deserve better. You deserve a patriot, not a puppet.”

3rd District, northeast Queens and parts of Nassau and Suffolk counties

Tom Suozzi, Democrat (incumbent)

Political priorities: Opposes Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran. Supports a holistic approach to energy production, including green energy, natural gas and nuclear.

RESUME: First elected to Congress in 2016. Retired to run for governor in 2022, lost primary to Governor Kathy Hochul. Re-elected to his old seat in 2024 after Rep. George Santos was expelled by Congress.

Quote: “I will fight for you against the extremists.”

Mike LiPetri, Republican

Political priorities: Supports deportation of undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Opposes boycott of Israel and regulation of cryptocurrencies.

RESUME: Served in the State Assembly from 2019 to 2021. Ran for this seat in 2024 and lost to Suozzi.

Quote: “I resisted the radical left’s agenda that threatened our quality of life and drove up our cost of living. »

4th District, Nassau County

Laura Gillen, Democrat (incumbent)

Political priorities: Supports eliminating the cap on state and local tax deductions, and extending Temporary Protected Status to Haitians living in the United States. Opposes Medicaid cuts.

RESUME: First elected to seat in 2024. Former Hempstead Town Supervisor.

Quote: “My number one priority is representing Long Islanders, not Trump.”

Jeanine Driscoll, Republican

Political priorities: Supports restoring the full state and local tax deduction and strengthening the U.S.-Mexico border.

RESUME: Tax collector for the town of Hempstead, first elected in 2019.

Quote: “There are a lot of middle-class people in the district who need help that is not currently being offered to them by current representation.”

1st District, Suffolk County

Nick LaLota, Republican (incumbent)

Political priorities: Supports deportation of undocumented immigrants with criminal records and tax cuts. Opposes offshore drilling on Long Island.

RESUME: First elected to Congress in 2022. Served three overseas deployments as a naval officer.

Quote: “My mission is simple: to make Suffolk safer and more affordable for every family who calls this incredible place home. »

Christopher Gallant, Democrat

Political priorities: Supports developing more housing near transit stations, refinancing federal student loans, and expanding child tax credits.

RESUME: Former president of the local union of army pilots and air traffic controllers.

Quote: “I don’t run to make noise. I run to get the job done.”

11th Ward, Staten Island and South Brooklyn

Nicole Malliotakis, Republican (incumbent)

Political priorities: Increase funding for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Suspend the federal gas tax to reduce energy costs.

RESUME: First elected to the House in 2020. Previously served in the State Assembly.

Quote: “I said I was going to fight to secure our border and keep criminals off our streets and that’s exactly what we did.”

Mike DeCillis, Democrat

Political priorities: Raise the corporate tax rate and create a single-payer health care system.

RESUME: Former first responder, NYPD officer, and special education teacher.

Quote: “I know that everyone in the district deserves to have their voice heard in government, and that is not the case right now. »