2026 Midterms State GuideNew York
Hold on to your bodega cat and buffalo wings.
- PrimaryStatewideJun. 23This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your bodega cat and buffalo wings, and let’s get into it.
New York at a glance
New York votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for governor and all 26 U.S. House seats.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 24: Voter registration deadline
- Early voting
- Oct. 24 to Nov. 1: Early voting in person
- Governor
- 4 candidates
- U.S. House
- 26 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- None
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- Jun. 23Primaries This date has passed.
- Oct. 24Voter registration deadline
- Oct. 24 to Nov. 1Early voting in person
- Nov. 2Last day to apply in person for an absentee or early mail ballot
- Nov. 3Election Day and deadline to return an early mail/absentee ballot in person
- Nov. 10Deadline for mail/absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received by the county Board of Elections
What’s at stake
Republicans haven’t been able to secure a statewide office in the Empire State since 2002. Bruce Blakeman (R) is trying to change that in the governor’s race, and while polls still have Hochul in the lead, the gap has closed by a significant number of points. A Siena Research poll has Hochul up 49%-39%, a meaningful difference from her 52%-32% lead in June. This race is trending similarly to her last one, which Hochul won by just six points. A June 2026 poll from the Siena Research Institute found that cost of living was on more than half of New Yorkers’ minds. 53% ranked it as the most important issue concerning New York today, and 77% said it was one of two most important, followed by affordable housing (13%), and crime (11%). For the first time this year, more voters (44%) think New York is on the right track than voters who think it’s on the wrong track (41%).
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
New York is choosing a governor
See whose record lines up with what matters to you
Here are the top accomplishments each candidate lists, in their own words. Pick the 2 that matter most to you. Names stay hidden until you see your results.
0 of 2 picked
Kathy HochulDemocratincumbent
Top accomplishments- Made New York more affordable by lowering auto insurance rates, sending out energy rebate checks, removing tax on tips, and more.
- Invested in children by banning phones in schools, making universal childcare a reality, delivering statewide universal pre-K, and more.
- Investing in New Yorkers’ safety by signing Local Cops, Local Crimes into law, investing $3B in public safety, removing 10k+ illegal guns off the streets, and more.
Bruce BlakemanRepublicanNassau County Executive
Top accomplishments- Turned Nassau into the #1 safest county in America by saying no to sanctuary policies and working with ICE to take criminals off the streets.
- Hired 600 new Police and Law Enforcement Officers to keep Nassau families safe, helping to improve response times, boost neighborhood patrols, and make Nassau the safest County in America.
- Eliminated $150 million in property tax hikes.
- Jonathan MakeleyProhibition Party
write-in
- Jean AngladeIndependent
write-in
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
New Yorkers will elect 26 candidates to represent them in the U.S. House. Democrats are expected to take 20 of those seats, while Republicans are expected to hold six.
- Open seats
Three. Reps. Nydia Velazquez (D-7), Jerry Nadler (D-12), and Elise Stefanik (R-21) retired from office; Daniel Goldman (D-10) and Adriano Espaillat (D-13) lost their primaries.
- Competitive districts
NY-17 is considered a competitive toss up district. NY-3, NY-4, and NY-19 are considered to be leaning (but not solidly) Democratic. NY-1, NY-2, NY-11, NY-21, NY-23, and NY-24 are considered solidly Republican, and the rest solidly Democrat. Candidates in both parties filed to run in all 26 districts, so no district is guaranteed to either party.
Also on the ballot
Other races New York voters will decide.
- Lieutenant Governor
- Attorney General
- Comptroller
- State Senate
- State House
- Special state legislative
- School boards
- Municipal government
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in New York?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
A prayer for New York
King of kings and Lord of lords, You are sovereign over the Empire State. In the midst of national attention, steady New Yorkers with Your steadfast care. Anchor voters in wisdom, seeking the righteousness of Your Kingdom and the flourishing of their communities.
Keep candidates from performance, posturing, and contempt and help them campaign with integrity. May whoever wins steward the weight of their office well, leading with dignity and discernment.
For those who will be disappointed by the result, comfort them in their grief and make Yourself known to them in their fear of tomorrow. And for those who will be pleased, turn their hearts toward love of neighbor, humble service, and gracious speech.
Open doors for conversations about the good news that Your sovereignty is not suspended on election night, and Your good purposes aren’t undone by any election cycle.
Amen.