New York Voting Rights Act

Voting in New York

The Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) promotes and protects the rights of all eligible New Yorkers to vote by investigating and addressing voting rights violations and by ensuring that all New York elections are run fairly and free from discrimination.   

For more information about voting in New York state, visit our voting resources page. 

John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA)

A state law enacted in 2022, the NYVRA (New York Election Law section 17-200) strengthens the voting rights of all New Yorkers including historically marginalized and disenfranchised communities. The law requires OAG to play a role in enforcing these rights. 

The NYVRA removes barriers and protects fair, open, and equal access to the ballot box for all eligible New Yorkers. 

Under the NYVRA, certain jurisdictions that wish to make changes to their voting or elections procedures must have their changes reviewed and approved (precleared) by OAG or a state court.

If you are an election official, legislative body, or other person or body that can make changes that affect elections or voting: You may have to request preclearance review if you plan to make certain changes on or after this date. 

Sign up to receive notifications of updates related to preclearance.

How the NYVRA protects the right to vote

The NYVRA prohibits practices that harm the right to vote. These practices include:

• Voter suppression refers to laws and practices that make it harder for voters to cast their ballots. Literacy tests, for example, were used in the past to prevent people of color from voting. Today, practices to suppress votes include a lack of poll sites in communities of color.   
• Vote dilution involves weakening or limiting the voting power of a group, often through the system used to elect representatives. The way electoral districts are drawn, or the rules used to conduct an election, can cause vote dilution.
• Voter intimidation occurs through the use or threat of force, damage, or other harm to affect a person’s vote or registration. This can occur before, during, or after an election.
• Voter deception involves giving people false information about voting or elections.
• Voter obstruction means interfering with voting, the counting of votes, access to a poll site or the election process generally.

The NYVRA introduces new requirements for local jurisdictions in New York, such as, counties, cities, towns, villages and school districts:

• Some local jurisdictions must submit election changes for preclearance. Some parts of New York have a history of violating voting or civil rights, arresting certain groups at higher rates, or having highly segregated neighborhoods. Those localities have been preliminarily identified by OAG’s Civil Rights Bureau. If these localities are considering changing their election procedures in certain ways, OAG or a state court must review and approve the changes before they can be made. This requirement began on September 22, 2024.
• Some local jurisdictions must expand support for voters with limited English proficiency. Expanding on requirements under federal law, this applies to any local jurisdiction in New York, for example, a county, city, town, village, or school district, that has a certain number of citizens at least 18 years of age who do not speak or understand English well enough to participate in elections. The locality must provide language assistance, such as translating ballots and voter-registration materials. This requirement begins on June 20, 2025.

NYVRA Regulations

Under the NYVRA, OAG has the authority to issue rules and regulations. OAG has promulgated regulations related to preclearance, which took effect on September 22, 2024.

New York Voting Rights Portal

The NYVRA Portal is an online tool that allows local jurisdictions covered under the NYVRA to submit their changes to the OAG’s Civil Rights Bureau (“CRB”) for preclearance review. Members of the public and other interested parties may also use the NYVRA Portal to comment on preclearance submissions during the CRB’s review.

View our NYVRA Guidance

On December 19, 2023, the Office of the New York State Attorney General issued preliminary guidance, explaining the NYVRA preclearance process and preliminarily identifying the localities and changes that are subject to the preclearance requirement.

Also available in Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish.

View received comments on the guidance. 

On September 25, 2024, OAG issued a handbook for local jurisdictions subject to preclearance under the NYVRA, providing information regarding the preclearance submission and review process.