New York City enters Election Day after 690,526 unofficial early-voting check-ins, the Board of Elections reported at the close of the nine-day period. Tuesday polls are scheduled to open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Voters should use the board's lookup tool to confirm their assigned Election Day location, because the site may differ from the early-voting center they used or saw listed during the weekend.
The final cumulative borough figures were 188,434 check-ins in Manhattan, 67,630 in the Bronx, 219,536 in Brooklyn, 162,914 in Queens and 52,012 on Staten Island. Sunday added 117,740 check-ins citywide. These numbers record participation at early sites, not votes for a candidate and not certified ballots. They should not be used to infer a winner, party advantage or final turnout before every valid voting method is counted.
Monday is also the last day to apply in person at a county board office for an early-mail or absentee ballot. The online and mail application deadline passed October 24. In New York, an early-mail ballot does not require an excuse; absentee voting covers voters who qualify under the separate statutory grounds. A voter applying at the office should allow time for the application, ballot issuance and return steps before the office closes.
Completed mail ballots must be postmarked no later than Tuesday and reach the county board by November 10, according to the state Board of Elections. A voter may instead deliver the ballot to a county board office or any Election Day poll site within the county by 9 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone relying on mail should check the posted collection time, because an envelope deposited after the final pickup might receive the next day's postmark.
At an Election Day site, a voter who is in line by 9 p.m. may remain to cast a ballot. The city's board publishes borough poll-site lists, but an address-specific lookup is more reliable because assignments can change and voters within the same neighborhood may use different buildings. Reviewing the official sample ballot in advance can reduce time at the voting station, particularly where statewide, congressional, judicial and local contests appear together.
Initial results on Tuesday night will be unofficial. Election Day scanner totals, early votes and returned mail ballots can be reported on different schedules, so a margin may move as categories are added. Affidavit, military and other eligible ballots can require later review. A media projection is an analytical call, not certification; the official canvass follows the procedures and timetable set by election law.
The early check-in total also needs a denominator before it can be compared meaningfully among boroughs or with another election. Brooklyn's larger number reflects, in part, its larger population. Registration, contest intensity and the availability of other voting methods also differ. The board's figures are most useful as an operational measure of how many people used early sites and how much Election Day demand may remain.
For voters who have not yet participated, the actionable sequence is straightforward: confirm registration and the assigned site, review the ballot, and plan to arrive while polls are open. Voters holding completed mail ballots can use an authorized drop-off option rather than guessing about postal timing. The 690,526 early check-ins show substantial participation before Tuesday, but the election remains open until the statutory deadlines pass and all eligible ballots are processed.
Primary sources: NYC Board of Elections early-voting check-ins; NYC Board of Elections dates and poll-site information; New York State Board of Elections ballot-return rules. Reviewed November 2, 2026. Development: Election Day is November 3, 2026.