Voter registration deadline approaching

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- As it gets closer to November 5th’s General Election, Erica Smitka from the League of Women voters, reminds everyone who is eligible and wants to vote to make sure they’re registered.

"Go online to the Board of Elections website. They have a great tool, a voter look up tool, they can see if you’re registered to vote and the other most important thing is to make sure you know where your poll site is. Especially with redistricting, poll sites have changed based on where the lines have been drawn," explained Smitka.

One change this year that’s caused some controversy, is that New Yorkers can now vote early by mail.

"You don’t need to have an excuse to vote early by mail. You do however need to apply, just like you do for an absentee ballot. So, applications for voting early by mail and to vote via absentee ballot are due October 26th."

You can apply to vote early by mail on the New York State Board of Elections website. It must receive a postmark no later than November 5th.

A Republican lawsuit challenged mail in voting saying it was it was unconstitutional. However, the law was upheld by the state Court of Appeals in August.

"I think we have a problem with it on the Republicans side because we keep seeing a change in rules to benefit the Democrats and I don’t like changing rules in the middle of the game," said Assembly Minority Leader, Will Barclay. "No problem with making things easier for people to vote. I think we’d all support that, but you can’t keep changing the rules particularly when it goes against the state constitution."

That being said, Barclay encourages people to vote.

"I would say anybody who wants vote through mail, or vote in person, or vote early," said Barclay. "I support doing any of those."