Old Chatham, New York Public Records

New York residents can register through several channels: online via the New York State Board of Elections website at https://voterreg.dmv.ny.gov/MotorVoter, by mail using a downloadable form, or in person at the Columbia County Board of Elections, DMV offices, or various state agencies. Mail and in-person registration must be completed 25 days before an election, while online registration deadlines fall 10 days before Election Day. Voters need identification including their name, date of birth, and either their New York State driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. As an unincorporated hamlet, Old Chatham doesn't conduct separate municipal elections for mayor or village trustees. Instead, the Town of Chatham provides local governance through elected officials including a Town Supervisor, Town Board members, Town Clerk, Highway Superintendent, and Town Justices. These town elections occur in odd-numbered years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, with the next contests scheduled for November 2025 and November 2027. Residents also cast ballots for county-level positions such as County Sheriff, County Clerk, County Coroner, and representatives to the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. Voters can locate their assigned polling place using the Polling Place Locator at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov or by contacting the Columbia County Board of Elections directly. The state provides early voting at designated locations typically nine days before Election Day, with Columbia County establishing multiple early voting sites in Hudson and other municipalities. New York makes certain election information publicly accessible, including voter registration statistics, though individual voting history remains protected. Campaign finance disclosures are viewable at https://publicreporting.elections.ny.gov, while candidate petitions, filings, and certified results by district and precinct are also available. The November 2024 presidential election saw Columbia County achieve approximately 70-75% voter turnout among registered voters, matching statewide patterns in competitive presidential cycles. On November 3, 2026, residents will face several significant races: the New York gubernatorial election as Governor Kathy Hochul's term expires, all 213 seats in the New York State Legislature (63 Senate and 150 Assembly seats), statewide offices including Attorney General and Comptroller, and local Columbia County positions such as County Clerk, Sheriff, and Board of Supervisors depending on term schedules. No U.S. Senate seat from New York appears on the 2026 ballot, as Senator Schumer's term expires in 2028 and Senator Gillibrand's in 2030. Local voters participate in New York's 19th Congressional District elections, subject to any redistricting, along with their respective state Senate and Assembly district races. Absentee voting is available for those who will be absent from the county or state on Election Day, cannot vote due to illness or disability, or meet other qualifying criteria. Applications are available through the Columbia County Board of Elections and must be received at least seven days before the election, though certain circumstances allow applications until the day before. Recent expansions to early voting and absentee ballot access have made the process more accessible to residents throughout Columbia County.