Vote is a decision by a group of people who do not all agree on some matter, to indicate their preference officially at a meeting or in an election (by ballot, voice, show of hands). Voting is most commonly used for choosing government officials and policies. It is the fundamental mode of making a democratic decision by popular mandate, but it is also used to decide on matters of private concern, for example by members of a club or society, or shareholders of a company.
Most modern democracies use secret ballots to ensure that the person casting the vote is able to freely and honestly express their real preferences without being influenced by others or pressured. It is a principle of democracy that people must be free to choose whom they wish to govern them, and the study of voting systems by political scientists and economists is known as social choice theory.
A person may vote in any election or referendum held in their country, but they may only do so once they have registered to vote. The registration process can be done online using the Board of Elections’ Online Voter Registration System or in person at any New York State Agency-Based voter registration center, or by mail to a County Board of Elections. A person who wishes to vote may request a ballot by affidavit from their County Board of Elections, which they must sign before signing their name on the ballot.