Attorney General James Announces Election Protection Hotline Ahead of August Primary

 

OAG Will Troubleshoot Voting Issues during Early Voting and on Election Day

Voters Experiencing Problems Can Call (866) 390-2992, Submit Complaints Online, or Email election.hotline@ag.ny.gov

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will make its Election Protection Hotline available for the upcoming August 23, 2022 election and during New York’s early voting period, which runs from Saturday, August 13 through Sunday, August 21. The hotline will be available to troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters, including voting by absentee ballot or in person at their polling place. Voters that experience problems can report issues to OAG by calling the hotline at (866) 390-2992, submitting complaints online, or emailing election.hotline@ag.ny.gov. The OAG has also created a guide addressing frequently asked questions to assist voters.

“Free and fair access to the ballot box is integral to our democracy,” said Attorney General James. “While states across the nation are making every effort to limit the right to vote, New Yorkers can count on our election protection hotline to address any challenges and provide helpful guidance, whether they’re voting absentee by mail or in-person at their polling place. My office will always fight to defend the right to full and meaningful participation in the electoral process.”

Voters experiencing problems are encouraged to call OAG’s hotline at (866) 390-2992, submit complaints online, or email election.hotline@ag.ny.gov to request election-related assistance in advance of the election. The hotline and digital form are accessible in multiple languages. The telephone hotline will be open between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM on Saturday, August 13 through Sunday, August 21, and between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, August 23. Written requests for election-related assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form or via email. Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by OAG attorneys and staff.

The OAG has operated its Election Protection Hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, OAG fielded hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues. The OAG has also taken legal action to protect against voter registration purges and to ensure that voters have adequate and equitable access to vote early as required by law.

Attorney General James reminds all registered voters that they have the right to accessible elections. In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person. 

The OAG will receive and respond to election complaints relating to any of the statutes that OAG enforces. The OAG’s Election Day Hotline is being coordinated and led by Assistant Attorneys General Nancy Trasande, Lindsay McKenzie, and Conor Duffy, Research Analyst Miriam Li, and Deputy Bureau Chief Travis England of the Civil Rights Bureau. The Civil Rights Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.