Your ballot, explained.

Heard this? Here are the facts

Each claim gets a plain status: True, False, or Promised, not law.

• Heard this? "You have to show a photo ID to vote in New York." False
  The facts: Most voters do not need any ID at the polls. Some first-time voters who registered by mail without a driver's license or Social Security number may be asked for ID such as a bill or bank statement. If they don't have it, they can still vote with an affidavit ballot. source: elections.ulstercountyny.gov
• Heard this? "It's too late to register for Nov. 3." False
  The facts: The deadline is Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, which is also the first day of early voting. On that day you can register and vote at the same time. source: ag.ny.gov (state Attorney General)
• Heard this? "A mailed ballot counts as long as you drop it in the mailbox by Election Day." False
  The facts: It must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and arrive by Nov. 10. The post office may stamp mail a day or more after you drop it, so mail it early or ask for a hand stamp at the counter. source: radiocatskill.org
• Heard this? "If you have a felony conviction, you can't vote in New York until parole is over." False
  The facts: Your right to vote comes back as soon as you are released from prison, even if you are on parole or probation. You do need to register again. source: elections.ny.gov (State Board of Elections)
• Heard this? "Voting for a candidate on a smaller party's line is a wasted vote." False
  The facts: If the candidate is also on a major party line, the votes on all of the candidate's lines are added together. Your vote counts the same toward that candidate on any line. source: newamerica.org
• Heard this? "You'll get $5,000 after the election." Promised, not law
  The facts: On Sept. 9, 2026 the President promised every adult $5,000, a "Trump Dividend", if Republicans keep both the House and the Senate. It is a campaign promise that depends on the election results; no law or payment exists today. Congress would have to pass it, and AP estimates it would cost over $1 trillion. Is this legal? Experts disagree. Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote: "No, Mr. President you can't offer voters $5000 if the Republicans win the House and Senate." Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called it a completed crime under the federal vote-buying law (18 U.S.C. 597). Election attorney John Day told AP it is legal because it would go to everyone regardless of how they vote: "This is a campaign promise." Rice University political scientist Mark Jones: "It's unsavory, but it's legal." Your ballot is secret, so no payment can depend on how you personally vote. source: kold.com source: internazionale.it source: newsweek.com source: ibtimes.co.uk source: katv.com
• Heard this? "Someone can legally pay you to vote, or to vote a certain way." False
  The facts: No. Paying or offering to pay anyone to vote or to register to vote in a federal election is a federal crime (52 U.S.C. 10307(c)). Accepting the payment is a crime too. source: law.cornell.edu
• Heard this? "The $1 million-a-day giveaway in 2024 paid people for voting." False
  The facts: That contest was open only to registered voters in seven swing states, and entering meant signing a petition, not voting. The group's lawyer told a Pennsylvania court the winners were "not chosen by chance". The judge let it continue. source: aljazeera.com

Checked against official sources, court records and news reports. We update this as new claims go around.