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Protecting Your Earned Benefits: NYS Primary Voting Guide

Protecting Your Earned Benefits: NYS Primary Voting Guide

As public sector retirees, the decisions made in Albany directly impact your health insurance, pension sustainability, and daily cost of living.  RPEA advocates fiercely for our members, but our legislative influence relies on your active participation at the ballot box.

The New York State legislative primaries determine who will advance to the general election block. Voting in these primaries ensures we elect State Senators and Assembly Members who value public service and pledge to safeguard the financial security of New York’s retired public servants.

What’s at Stake for Retirees?

When you look up your legislative districts and evaluate candidates, keep RPEA’s core legislative priorities in mind:

  • Protecting Retiree Healthcare: Opposing any attempts by the executive budget or local governments to eliminate Medicare Part B IRMAA reimbursements or involuntarily force retirees into restrictive healthcare arrangements.

  • Modernizing the Pension COLA: Advancing critical legislation to update the 26-year-old cost-of-living adjustment formula, raising the outdated $18,000 calculation cap to accurately reflect real-world inflation.

  • Skilled Nursing Facility Parity: Ending the inequity under NYSHIP where Medicare-primary retirees are denied the same supplemental skilled nursing care benefits provided to active employees.

What Questions Should I Ask Candidates?

RPEA has created a guideline with some sample questions. If you’re looking for ideas on what to ask potential candidates, click here for our Candidate Questionnaire. 

How to Find Your Assembly & Senate Districts

Because local legislative boundaries shape your personal representation in Albany, your ballot is determined entirely by where you live. Follow these steps to find your current State Senate and State Assembly districts:

1.Visit the Official NYS Voter Lookup Portal: 

Navigate to the official New York State Board of Elections lookup page at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.

2.Review Your Districts:

Scroll past your basic details down to the section marked Voter Districts. 

Write down or take a screenshot of your numbers for:

  • State Senatorial District

  • Assembly District

3. Get to Know the Candidates: 

Click here to find the list of registered candidates. Research online, tune into local news, or attend any debates to get to know each candidate and where they stand on issues that are important to you.

Key Election Dates

New York utilizes a closed primary system, meaning you must be a registered member of a specific political party to vote in that party’s primary.

MilestoneDeadline / WindowDetails
Voter Registration DeadlineJune 13, 2026Last day the state will accept new voter registrations for this primary cycle.
Early Voting WindowJune 13 – June 21, 2026In-person voting hours vary by county. Highly recommended for avoiding long lines.
Primary Election DayTuesday, June 23, 2026Polls are open statewide from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Voting Options for Our Members

RPEA encourages members to choose the voting method that best fits their mobility and schedule requirements:

  • In-Person Early Voting: A great choice for retirees seeking shorter wait times. Keep in mind your early voting poll site may be different than your traditional Election Day location.

  • Absentee / Early Voting by Mail: If you have an illness, temporary or permanent disability, or are traveling outside your county during the election, you can request a mail ballot via the state board website or your local county Board of Elections.

Not sure where to vote?  Click here to find out.

 

 

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