Reading Center, New York Public Records

New York residents can register to vote online at the New York State Board of Elections website, www.elections.ny.gov, or submit paper registration forms available at the county Board of Elections, DMV offices, and other government agencies. The deadline to register to vote is 25 days before an election. New York requires voter registration applicants to provide their New York driver's license number or non-driver ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. First-time voters who register by mail may need to provide identification when voting. As an unincorporated hamlet, the community does not hold its own municipal elections for mayor or town council. However, residents vote in Town of Reading elections for Town Supervisor, Town Council members, Town Clerk, and other town offices. Town elections in New York are held in odd-numbered years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The next Town of Reading elections will be held in November 2025. Local voters participate in Schuyler County elections for County Legislature, Sheriff, County Clerk, and other county offices, as well as state and federal elections. Residents can find their assigned polling place by using the polling place lookup tool at the New York State Board of Elections website (voterlookup.elections.ny.gov) or by contacting the county Board of Elections. Polling places are assigned based on the voter's address and Election District. In the November 2024 presidential election, Schuyler County reported voter turnout of approximately 63-67% of registered voters, reflecting strong engagement in this rural county. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, voters in the area will decide several important races. New York will hold a gubernatorial election in 2026, with Governor Kathy Hochul's term expiring; voters will elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. All 213 seats in the New York State Legislature (150 Assembly seats and 63 Senate seats) will be on the ballot, including the state legislative districts covering Schuyler County. New York's U.S. Senate seats are not up for election in 2026 (next U.S. Senate elections in New York are in 2028), but all of New York's 26 U.S. House seats will be contested, including the district representing Schuyler County (currently the 23rd Congressional District). County-level offices on the 2026 ballot will likely include some Schuyler County Legislature seats and potentially other county positions depending on term schedules. Town of Reading offices are elected in odd-year elections (2025, 2027, etc.) and will not appear on the 2026 ballot. New York offers absentee voting for registered voters who meet specific criteria including absence from county on election day, illness or disability, or other qualifying reasons. As of recent reforms, the state has expanded early voting, with early voting periods beginning the Saturday before Election Day and running through the Sunday before Election Day at designated early voting sites in each county. Absentee ballot applications can be requested online at the NYS Board of Elections website, from the Schuyler County Board of Elections, or downloaded and mailed. Applications must be received by the county Board of Elections no later than the seventh day before the election (or postmarked by that date if mailed). Voted absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day and received by the Board of Elections within seven days after the election to be counted. Under New York law, certain election records are public, including voter registration lists (available for election purposes), campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the state Board of Elections, candidate petitions and filings, and official election results by Election District. These records can be accessed through the county Board of Elections or the New York State Board of Elections website, promoting transparency in the electoral process.