New York requires registration to vote by mail, contrary to online claim

"I got reached out to by an individual who had created a fake Google account when he was a kid," says writer John Wiber in an October 27, 2024 Instagram video.

"He literally forgot about it and then they started sending him ballots, mail-in ballots, for the fake Google account this guy had made years ago and forgotten about."

In the clip, Wiber shares photographs of what he claims are ballots.

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Screenshot of an Instagram post taken October 28, 2024

With less than a week until Election Day, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump remain deadlocked as their campaigns make a final push to sway voters.

Online claims continue to sow doubt in the electoral process ahead of November 5 by alleging vote rigging and mail-in ballot fraud, similar to misinformation that fueled chaos after the 2020 presidential race.

AFP has debunked several such claims, including false reports of ballots for Trump being destroyed in Pennsylvania, electronic voting machines swapping selections in Georgia and a litany of baseless accusations of unregistered voting across the United States.

The claim that New York is sending ballots to "people who simply have Google accounts" is similarly false.

"The State Board and the County Boards of Elections do not use Google accounts or data for any purpose," said Kathleen McGrath, director of public information for the New York State Board of Elections.

She also said the paper pictured in the video is not a ballot -- "it was a reminder mailing sent to a registered voter." The images indicate it came from the New York City Board of Elections.

"Usually, these types of mailings are done in advance of an election to remind voters of poll sites, hours, etc," McGrath said in an October 28 email.

She said voters must register online, in person or by mail. Voters only receive mail or absentee ballots after bipartisan Board of Elections staff members verify their request.

Jeffrey Wice, an adjunct professor at New York Law School specializing in elections and voting rights (archived here), confirmed that to receive a mail-in ballot in New York, "you must request one yourself."

Voter is registered

AFP submitted a Freedom of Information Law request to the New York State Board of Elections using the discernible information about the recipient of the voting reminder in the video. AFP is not naming the person out of respect for their privacy.

The individual's publicly available voter registration data show they registered by mailing a form to the New York City Board of Elections in April 2019. The records include a signature.

It is a felony in the state of New York to register or attempt to register under any name other than your own (archived here).

"First-time voters must provide identification either on or with their voter registration application," Wice said in an October 29 email. "If you have not provided ID by Election Day, you are still allowed to vote by affidavit ballot, but not using the poll site scanner."

AFP has debunked other misinformation about the election here.