Martinsburg, New York Public Records

New York residents can register to vote online through the state Board of Elections portal at DMV.NY.GOV/MoreInfo/electronic-voter-registration.htm or by submitting paper registration forms available at the county Board of Elections office, town clerk's office, or various state agencies. Registration must be completed 25 days before any election. Voters provide their name, address, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number or a valid New York State DMV ID number. First-time voters registering by mail may need to show identification when voting. As a town-level government rather than an incorporated city or village, Martinsburg holds town elections in odd-numbered years. The next town elections will take place in November 2025, when voters will elect the Town Supervisor, Town Council members, Town Clerk, and potentially the Highway Superintendent, depending on term expirations. Town elections are officially nonpartisan, though candidates may run on party lines. Local ballot questions such as budget overrides or land use proposals may also appear. Election information specific to town offices and candidates is typically posted at Martinsburg Town Hall, 3654 Greenwood Road, and through the county Board of Elections in the months preceding elections. Residents can locate their assigned polling place by visiting the New York State Board of Elections polling place lookup tool at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov or by contacting the Lewis County Board of Elections at (315) 376-5329. Most voters in the area cast ballots at Martinsburg Town Hall or other designated community facilities depending on election district assignments. Polls are open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Election Day in New York. Under New York election law, certain election records are public. Voter registration lists (names and addresses of registered voters, but not birth dates or ID numbers) are available for inspection and can be purchased by political parties and candidates for legitimate campaign purposes. Campaign finance disclosure reports for state and county candidates are searchable through the New York State Board of Elections database at www.elections.ny.gov/CFViewReports.html. Candidate petition filings and nominating documents are maintained by the Board of Elections. Precinct-level election results are published by the Lewis County Board following each election and are available for public inspection. In the November 2024 presidential election, Lewis County reported approximately 60% voter turnout, with roughly 4,800 ballots cast out of approximately 8,000 registered voters countywide. The town's portion of this total reflected similar participation rates. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature important races for New York voters. The U.S. Senate seat currently held by Kirsten Gillibrand is not up for election in 2026 (next election 2024), but the seat held by Chuck Schumer is not up until 2028. New York will elect a Governor in 2026, as Governor Kathy Hochul's current term expires. All 63 New York State Senate seats and all 150 State Assembly seats will be on the ballot. Lewis County voters will also decide county-level positions including County Legislator seats, County Clerk, County Sheriff (if the term expires), and potentially other county offices. Martinsburg town offices are elected in odd-numbered years, so no town positions will appear on the November 2026 ballot. New York State offers absentee voting for qualified voters. Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot without providing an excuse. Absentee ballot applications can be submitted online through the county Board of Elections or downloaded from www.elections.ny.gov. Applications must be received by the Lewis County Board of Elections at least seven days before the election (ten days if requesting the ballot be mailed). Completed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Board of Elections within seven days after the election to be counted, or delivered in person to the Board of Elections office or polling place by 9:00 PM on Election Day. New York also offers early voting for nine days prior to Election Day at designated early voting locations in each county; Lewis County typically designates one or two early voting sites in Lowville for the convenience of voters countywide, including those from Martinsburg.