Changing Your Party

How to Change Your Party Enrollment

  1. Complete a new voter registration form and select the party enrollment of your choice.
  2. Submit the form to the Board of Elections either in person, or by mail.
  3. The new registration form must be received by the Board of Elections before the February 14 cut-off. All party changes received February 15th through July 5 will be held. On July 5 all party enrollment changes that were held from February 15 will be changed. All registered voters with a party enrollment change will receive a new card in the mail once the enrollment change is effective.

Party changes are held February 15th through July 5th due to Primary Elections being held in June.

NYS Election Law § 5-304 (PDF) prevents voters from strategically changing parties with the sole intention of adversely affecting outcomes in a party’s primary election. This law has been upheld by state and federal courts.

Enrollment; Change of Enrollment or New Enrollment by Previously Registered Voters


1. A registered voter may change his enrollment in the manner prescribed by this section.

2. The term ‘‘change of enrollment’’ shall apply to applications by a registered voter already enrolled in one party to enroll in a different party, or to delete his enrollment in any party, or an application by a registered voter not enrolled in any party to enroll in a particular party.

3. A change of enrollment received by the board of elections will take effect immediately, provided however, any change of enrollment received by the board of elections after February fourteenth and before or on seven days after the June primary shall take effect on the seventh day after the June primary.

4. Registered voters may apply for change of enrollment personally by mail to or by appearing before a county board of elections or by appearing before a board of inspectors. If the applicant has appeared in person and if the board finds that he or she is properly registered, it shall provide the applicant with an application form for voter registration by mail which shall be treated as an application for change of enrollment filed pursuant to this section. If the voter has applied personally by mail, the county board of elections shall mail him or her an application form for voter registration by mail as provided by this chapter. If a registered voter submits an application form for registration or enrollment as provided by this chapter, from the residence address from which he or she is then registered, and such form reflects a change of enrollment, the county board of elections shall treat such form as an application for change of enrollment filed pursuant to this section. If such application form also sets forth a new address within the same city or county, the board of elections shall also treat such form as an application for transfer of registration pursuant to section 5–208 of this article. If a voter has cast a ballot in an affidavit ballot envelope on which such voter claims a party enrollment different from the enrollment in the records of the board of elections, such affidavit shall be treated as an application for change of enrollment.

Voter registration forms 

Voter registration forms are available:

You can also visit the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website if you have a NYS Driver’s License, Permit or Non-Drive ID to register to vote, or update any information on your registration form. The information will be sent to the Board of Elections electronically for their office to process.