Our Vote, Our Voice: Building Political Power in New York City.
General Election • Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Building political power through civic engagement, voter registration, public education, and legislative advocacy.
Annually, the Caribbean Equality Project registers eligible voters, coordinates political candidate forums, organizes voter education community events, and works with allied community partners to amplify Black and Brown Queer and Trans Caribbean voices in New York City. The organization fosters civic participation and promotes education to build collective political power for Afro and Indo-Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrants and Caribbean-Americans at the neighborhood, city, State, and national levels.
"Mash-Up De Vote" is the Caribbean Equality Project's culturally responsive, non-partisan voter education and political power-building campaign. Year after year, the organization will continue organizing GOTV phone and text banking to mobilize Caribbean immigrants, Caribbean Americans, and LGBTQ+ people to VOTE. To encourage civic participation, we develop local voter guides, do digital outreach through social media, target door-knocking, and conduct street canvassing in Caribbean-centric neighborhoods of Richmond Hill, Queens, Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Soundview, The Bronx.
Elections matter—all of them, not just your vote for State Governor or President of the United States. From school superintendents to sheriffs, senators, and congressional representatives, our elected officials determine the quality and equity of our law enforcement, public education systems, and so much more. Vote! Our lives depend on it.
What if Your Name Doesn’t Match What’s on Your ID?
Your voter registration gender marker and name need to match your State ID. For 378,000 voting-eligible transgender people, that can make voting at the polls uncomfortable and incongruous with their lived identity.
If you’re one of the 33% of transgender people who don’t have IDs to match your lived identity and would rather not have to present that ID, you can vote by mail.
Resources for Voting Safely:
Start by checking your voter registration today at www.whenweallvote.org
Register to vote or verify your voter registration status here: headcount.org | rockthevote.org | vote.org | vote.nyc
2026 General Election Dates and Deadlines
Mon, October 19, 2026: Change of Address Deadline
The Board of Elections must receive address changes for the Primary Election on this date.
Sat, October 24, 2026: Voter Registration Deadline
The application must be received by the Board of Elections by the last day to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election. We’ve partnered with Turbovote to make registration easy. Register to vote
Sat, October 24, 2026 - Sun, November 1, 2026: Early Voting Dates
Vote early in person before Election Day! Find your early voting site and hours
Sat, October 24, 2026: Vote by Mail Application/Absentee Ballot Form Request Deadline (Online & Mail)
The last day for the Board of Elections to receive an application for an Early mail ballot, absentee ballot, and voter registration form by mail, online portal, email, or fax. Refer to these instructions on completing your absentee ballot
Mon, November 2, 2026: Early Mail/Absentee Ballot In-Person Request Deadline
The last day to apply in person at the Board of Elections for an Early Mail Ballot/Absentee Ballot. Find your local Board of Elections office
Tue, November 3, 2026: Deadline to Return Early Mail/Absentee Ballot
Last day to postmark your early mail ballot/absentee ballot return envelope or to deliver a ballot in person at the Board of Elections/poll site.
Tue, November 3, 2026: Election Day
Polls are open 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. Find your poll site
Don’t forget to flip your ballot and vote on ALL FIVE Ballot Proposals!
Ballot Proposal 1: Speed Up Process for Granting a Revocable Consent to Use Public Space
Simplify process to use public space for uses such as ramps, planters, and cafes, by removing mandatory hearings and Council disapproval of sidewalk cafes, while maintaining community and Council input.
A "yes" vote speeds up the process to use public space while maintaining community input.
A "no" vote maintains longer process with mandatory public hearing to use public space and Council review of sidewalk cafes.
Ballot Proposal 2: Reduce City Contractor Paperwork; Require Regular Meetings of Procurement Policy Board
Reduces paperwork for City's contractors by authorizing the Procurement Policy Board to simplify the contractor questionnaire. Require quarterly meetings of the Procurement Policy Board. Remove mandatory hearing for required client services report.
A "yes" vote amends Procurement Policy Board authority, including simplifying contractor questionnaire. Authorizes Mayor to delegate certain contract approvals.
A "no" vote leaves law unchanged, with Mayor and Comptroller maintaining longer questionnaire.
Ballot Proposal 3: Speed Up Street Safety Projects, Disposition of Unused City Property, Office Leasing
Simplify review of street safety projects to reduce construction timelines. Fast track disposition of unused City property with approval from City Planning Commission. Expedite leasing offices used for the City workforce.
A "yes" vote simplifies street project approval, City property disposition, and office leasing.
A "no" vote maintains intra-agency consultation for road projects, Council approval for City dispositions, and Council disapproval of office leases.
Ballot Proposal 4: Simplify Building Permitting and Move Waterfront Permitting to Department of Buildings
Create centralized construction permits hub to simplify permitting. Move waterfront permitting from Department of Small Business Services to Department of Buildings. Allow construction approval by additional Department of Buildings officials.
A "yes" vote simplifies permitting by authorizing a centralized permitting hub, moving waterfront permitting to Department of Buildings, and allowing additional Department of Buildings officials to issue approvals.
A "no" vote leaves law unchanged.
Ballot Proposal 5: Set Contribution Targets for Rainy Day Fund to Promote Sufficient Budgetary Reserves
Sets target amount of money to hold in reserve funds, including rainy day fund, to address unexpected financial hardships in future years, and require development of methodology to calculate contributions.
A "yes" vote requires the Mayor to develop methodology for calculating deposits to rainy day fund, with deposits subject to approval in the City budget.
A "no" vote leaves laws unchanged, with no reserves target.
To learn more about the ballot proposals, click here.
Get Out the Vote: Door Knocking 2025
Media High School Youth Education Workshop 2024The Caribbean Equality Project's civic engagement work is hyper-local in Caribbean-centric neighborhoods in NYC, such as Little Guyana in Richmond Hill, Queens, Little Caribbean in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Castel Hill and Soundview in the Bronx. Since 2016, all elections in which CEP has mobilized voter participation have become the most consequential election cycles in modern times. Voting is a constitutional right, one which we must ALL exercise with liberalism and equity, and it demonstrates our political power to elect progressive leaders. Leaders who will advance LGBTQ+ affirming legislation, end religious and racially discriminatory policies, and fight for equity for ALL, regardless of immigration status. As an LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights organization, Caribbean Equality Project registers eligible voters, coordinates political candidate forums, and works with allied community partners to amplify Black and Brown Queer and Trans Caribbean voices in New York City.
Become a Poll Worker
Sign up today to work the polls this year and make a difference in your fellow voters’ lives: www.powerthepolls.org
2025 Civic Engagement Report
2024 Civic Engagement Report
2023 Civic Engagement Report
Community Partners:
