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Here's What You Need to Know Before You Vote on Nov. 8

By  Nicole Levy and Jeff Mays | September 9, 2016 11:54am | Updated on November 7, 2016 2:43pm

 It's time to vote again on Nov. 8.
It's time to vote again on Nov. 8.
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DNAinfo/Julie Shapiro

Election day is almost here, and voters head to the polls with a narrow gap between the presidential candidates. 

Democrat Hillary Clinton is polling at 45 percent nationally and leading Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who is at 41 percent, according to the CBS News poll

The poll authors said Clinton is leading among women, African-Americans and younger voters, as well as holding a narrow edge among whites with a college degree. Trump leads among white men, whites without a college degree and seniors.

READ MORE: Here's How a Clinton or a Trump Victory Would Affect New York City

In addition to their future president, New Yorkers will also be voting for elected officials representing their interests in U.S. Congress and the state legislature on election day. (In many heavily Democratic districts, the general election is a formality, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the candidates you voted for in one or more of the state's three primary races — the larger their winning margin, the heftier their mandate in office.)

Below you'll find answers to all the questions you might have leading up to decision day:

I'm not registered to vote. How do I fix that?

The window to register online, via mail, or in person closed on Oct. 14. Check out our guide to the process here if you'd like to register for the next round of elections in New York City.

What's on my ballot?

For in-depth information about everything you'll find on your ballot on Nov. 8, plug your street address into Voter's Edge New York, a nonpartisan online guide to federal, state, and local elections in the state. The guide lists all the races in your districts, as well as the candidates.

You can also check out DNAinfo New York's 2016 Voter Guide will breakdown every race by neighborhood including state-level races.

READ MORE: DNAinfo New York's 2016 Voter Guide

Citywide, New Yorkers are voting not only for their next president. Sen. Charles Schumer faces reelection to Congress, and there are 13 U.S. House of Representatives, 22 state senate, and 58 state assembly races. You can also plug your address into the New York City Board of Elections' poll site finder to see what races are happening in your district.

I want to vote by absentee ballot. What do I have to do?

To apply for an absentee ballot in person, you need to submit your application to your local Board of Elections office by Nov. 7.

To ensure your absentee ballot is counted, make sure it's postmarked by Nov. 7 or delivered in-person to the Board of Elections by the close of polls on Nov. 8.

The last day to mail your absentee ballot in was Nov. 1. Those who wanted to vote by mail had to download an application, fill it out, and mail it to their local Board of Elections borough office. 

How do I find my polling place on Nov. 8?

You can look up your poll site, which is based on your address, here.

When will polls be open?

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

What do I do if I have issues at the polls?

The New York Attorney General's office has set up a hotline for voters who experience problems at the polls. You can call 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov during voting hours Tuesday. You can read more about reporting polling place problems here.

 

READ MORE DNAINFO ELECTION COVERAGE:

2016 Voter Guide
► What To Do If You're Told You Can't Vote on Election Day
Here's Where You Can Watch the Election Results Roll In