The race is heating up.

Starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, New Yorkers have the opportunity to participate in early voting for the fiercely competitive mayoral election. The main candidates include Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is vying for the position as an independent.

However, the mayoral race isn’t the only decision facing voters. Residents will also select a new City Comptroller and Public Advocate, along with borough presidents, district attorneys, city council members, and justices.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to ensure you’re ready to vote before Election Day.

What are the dates and hours for early voting?

Early voting opens 10 days prior to Election Day, which falls on Tuesday, November 4th.

Registered voters can cast their ballots during the nine days of early voting at their designated polling place.

• Oct. 25-Oct. 27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 28-Oct. 29: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 1-Nov. 2: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How to find your polling place

Voters can find their closest polling site on the city Board of Elections website at

Simply plug in your address and zip code, and you will be directed to your local polling site.

Are early voting polling sites different than Election Day?

Sometimes.

Many Election Day voting sites are public schools, meaning they are not available to serve as early voting sites in the weeks leading up to Election Day.

To determine whether your sites are different for early voting and Election Day, simply check the city Board of Elections, which will list both options.

When is the voter registration deadline?

Today!

You can check your voter registration status here.

Do you need a New York ID to vote, or any ID?

Yes, voters need to have a New York ID to cast their votes — but that doesn’t mean you’ll need to show it at your polling site.

Registered voters do not need to show ID to vote, unless they did not provide identification with their registration.

Acceptable forms of identification for those voters are a current and valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document showing their name and address.

First-time voters who haven’t provided ID by Election Day are still allowed to vote by affidavit ballot, but not by using their poll site’s scanner.

What else is on the ballot besides the NYC mayoral election?

While the race to replace Mayor Eric Adams is the most talked-about, there are a series of other election races on the ballot.

Other city-wide races include Public Advocate and City Comptroller.

Boroughs will also cast their votes for their respective Borough President and District Attorney, and even more hyper-local races like City Councilmembers and district judges.

There will also be six proposals on the ballot, asking voters to weigh in on questions concerning the housing crisis and when local elections should be held.

You can view a sample version of your particular ballot here.

Is the mayoral election still ranked-choice voting?

No. The RCV method is only used for primary and special elections.