AMID WIDESPREAD REPORTS OF VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT AND POLLING PROBLEMS, COMPTROLLER STRINGER ANNOUNCES AUDIT OF BOARD OF ELECTIONS
With the New York City Board of Elections confirming that more than 125,000 voters in Brooklyn were removed from voter rolls and widespread reports of voters having trouble accessing polling sites and other polling irregularities, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced today that his office would undertake an audit of the operations and management of the Board of Elections.
“There is nothing more sacred in our nation than the right to vote, yet election after election, reports come in of people who were inexplicably purged from the polls, told to vote at the wrong location or unable to get in to their polling site,” Comptroller Stringer said. “The people of New York City have lost confidence that the Board of Elections can effectively administer elections and we intend to find out why the BOE is so consistently disorganized, chaotic and inefficient. With four elections in New York City in 2016 alone, we don’t have a moment to spare.”
To read Comptroller Stringer’s letter informing Michael J. Ryan, Executive Director of the New York City Board of Elections, that his office would commence an audit, please click here.
Attorney General’s Hotline Troubleshoots A Range of Election Day Issues
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman reminded voters today that his office has created a Hotline to help troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues and barriers encountered by voters at the polls for the primary today. The Attorney General urges voters experiencing problems or issues at the polls to call the office’s hotline at 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov at any time between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. The hotline will be staffed by attorneys and staff in the office's Civil Rights Bureau.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and my office is deeply committed to ensuring equal access for all eligible voters on election day,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “I urge all New Yorkers to immediately contact my office if they face any barriers or issues that prevent them from casting an effective ballot.”
EDITOR"S NOTE:
In addition to the above, Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for an investigation of today's voting irregularities. As well as candidates from both sides who are involved in the Democratic and Republican primaries today.
