New York Voter Roll Integrity: January 2026 Overview

by Floyd Patrick, Project CIVICA Research Analyst and Kim Hermance, President, Co-founder, Co-Director Project CIVICA.

Maintaining accurate voter registration rolls is a legal requirement under federal and state election law. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) require states to keep voter rolls current, accurate, and regularly maintained, while prohibiting improper or discriminatory removals. New York Election Law similarly mandates the administration and maintenance of voter registration records to ensure eligibility and residency requirements are met.

The January 2026 New York voter registration data provides a detailed snapshot of the current condition of the rolls. The figures below highlight several areas that merit public attention, oversight, and transparency.

VOTER ROLL SIZE AND STATUS

As of January 2026, New York reports:

• 13,571,487 active voters

• 760,481 inactive voters

• 9,974,729 voters marked as purged

• 24,903 voters added in the prior month

• 32,965 voters removed in the prior month

Federal law allows states to maintain inactive voter classifications and remove ineligible registrations, but only through uniform, lawful, and well-documented processes. Volume alone does not establish compliance.

PARTY REGISTRATION DISTRIBUTION

Party enrollment remains heavily concentrated:

• Democratic registrants: 6,505,405

• Republican registrants: 3,036,342

• No party affiliation designated: 3,420,806

While party registration itself is not a compliance issue, shifts in enrollment affect election administration, ballot access, and voter engagement.

DUPLICATE REGISTRATION INDICATORS

Both NVRA and HAVA require statewide voter databases to be coordinated and maintained in a manner that reduces duplicate registrations. The January data shows:

• 141,116 duplicate voters within New York

• 91,460 New York–New Jersey duplicates

• 12,684 New York–Florida duplicates

• 452 duplicate State Board of Elections identification numbers

Interstate duplication remains one of the most challenging integrity issues due to delayed data sharing between states.

VOTING ACTIVITY ANOMALIES

The data identifies:

• 81,586 voters who cast ballots after a recorded purge date

Such activity warrants further explanation to ensure purge procedures, database updates, and voter eligibility controls are functioning as required by law.

AGE, IDENTITY, AND ADDRESS ISSUES

Election systems are expected to prevent clearly ineligible registrations. The January figures show:

• 1 registrant under the age of 16

• 3,026 active voters with irregular birthdates

• 0 registered voters lacking an address

Even isolated anomalies signal weaknesses that should be corrected through routine audits.

LONG-TERM NON-VOTING REGISTRATIONS

Federal law permits voters to remain registered despite non‑participation, but requires states to regularly review and update records:

• 1,782,907 voters inactive or active with no participation in the last two federal elections

• 1,183,609 voters registered for five or more years with no voting activity

Extended inactivity at this scale increases the risk of outdated or inaccurate records.

ADDRESS-BASED RED FLAGS (ELLY)

Residency accuracy is a core eligibility requirement under New York Election Law:

• 548 voters registered at postal-only addresses

• 277,136 voters who moved out of state but remain registered

Out‑of‑state registrations directly conflict with residency requirements and warrant timely review.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Voter roll accuracy is foundational to public confidence in elections. NVRA, HAVA, and New York Election Law all emphasize transparency, accuracy, and lawful maintenance. Duplicate registrations, outdated addresses, and unexplained anomalies undermine trust regardless of political affiliation.

The January 2026 data indicates that while maintenance activity continues, systemic issues remain unresolved. Routine audits, interstate coordination, and public accountability are essential to maintaining lawful and trustworthy elections.

ABOUT THE DATA

This analysis reflects January 6, 2026 Voter Roll snapshot obtained from the NYS Board of Elections via a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request. New York voter registration figures compiled for election integrity monitoring purposes. The data analysis represents categorical counts and indicators, not allegations of individual misconduct.

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