A coalition of good-government groups just released tips for the state’s new voting system of paper ballots and scanners, which is in use statewide for the first time this year.
1- Don’t try to cross out or erase any mistakes you might make on your paper ballot, request a new ballot instead;
2- All poll sites will also have ballot marking devices – terminals that can help guide voters needing assistance, or voters in general, through the ballot and offer numerous accessibility features, including audio for voters who are blind, hand-held controls or a “sip and puff” switch for voters with physical disabilities, and larger print size and contrast for voters with low vision.
3- When the poll worker gives you your paper ballot, don’t forget to ask for your privacy sleeve/folder to help hide your choices from public view; and
4- If you insert your ballot into a scanner and get an error message, beware of pressing the green “Cast” button. It will cast your vote without giving you the chance to have your ballot returned to correct.
The state Board of Elections has a website with information about the new voting system and videos of how to use it. The state Comptroller’s Office, which did reports on problems with the new system during the primary in September, has set up a toll-free hotline for Election Day: 888-672-4555.
Neal Rosenstein of the New York Public Interest Research Group said voters should not give up if their names aren’t on the voter rolls at the polling site. “First, make sure you’re at the right poll site for your election and Assembly district. If that doesn’t solve the issue, ask for an affidavit ballot. This will allow you to cast a vote. Your registration will be checked later, and if you are registered, your vote will count,” he said in a statement.
If a scanner breaks down, voters should ask to use a different scanner at the poll site, said Katie Doran of the League of Women Voters. “If all the scanners break down, you can still cast your vote as long as there are paper ballots and a voter registration book at the poll site. Just mark your paper ballot and give it to a poll worker for safekeeping until scanners are up and running again. The ballots will be placed in a secure receptacle that is part of the scanner and scanned in when the equipment is working again,” she said.
Voters should make sure they don’t “over vote” by casting more votes for a certain race than are needed, said Larry Norden, senior counsel at the Brennan Center. “If you do overvote, the scanner will alert you but don’t be confused by its unclear messaging. Press the red button to get your ballot back. Get an entirely new ballot so your vote counts in every race,” he said.
2 Comments
Out with all incumbents and Liberal Progressives
It’s inevitable that if Senator Harry Reid returns to the Washington, that Liberal-Democrats will pass–AMNESTY. He has promised to the 13 to 20 million illegal alien criminals that this is a foremost issue to bring to the Senate floor. Once this message resonates around the world, foreigners will be boarding jets or jumping the North or Southern borders to take advantage of this imminent Immigration Reform bill. Makes more sense to enforce the 1986 laws already affirmed in law. Already those who have settled here is an enormous economic burden on citizens and legal residents, so the next waves to arrive here will become an irreversible critical financial disaster for taxpayers. This is not the illogical dream of just Senator Harry Reid, but Barbara Boxer, but Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano, Russell Feingold and all but a few of the hard-left politicians of the progressive movement. THIS CAN BE CALCULATED AS HIGHER TAXES, FOR US ALL…?
We need TEA PARTY, moderate centralist’s, Independents and other political party associates to disinfect, thus erasing this accumulation of open border sewerage ideology. NO MORE TAX AND SPEND; NO MORE NEW LAWMAKERS ANSWERABLE TO THE HARD CORE LEFT, THE REPUBLICAN ELITES; ANSWERABLE ONLY TO THE FURTHER INTERESTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. NEW POLITICIANS WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE PEOPLE. Hold answerable President obama, First Lady, Governors, Majors, Judges, Police chiefs and a growing virus of elected official, who have been approving policies of Sanctuary cities and States. In this severe recession no lucid politician should be thinking of adding more labor or welfare recipients, to the 15.6 million American hoping for a job. Tabling any form of Amnesty will send the decisive message, that criminal activity is not to be rewarded. Use certain keywords, to substantiate the lies from the facts at NumbersUSA and Judicial Watch. At these websites investigate the corruption and propaganda from the ultra Liberal extremist media, tinged with Marxist views that are enveloping the US. GOOGLE–Illegal alien costs and the Democratic push to include illegal aliens in our Social Security. In addition read what the non-profit Heritage Foundation has to say about the propagation of illegal immigration and the 2.6 Trillion cost of another–AMNESTY.
Just voted.
When did we put the guys from Facebook in charge of building privacy controls into the New York State ballot?
Everyone can see the ballot as it goes into the system. It is face up in plain view of everyone around, especially the person who is standing next to the machine “helping” you.
The constituion states:
Duties of the State Governments:
(1) Must provide a republican form[12] of government to their citizens.[7]
(2) Must conduct honest and fair elections, by secret ballot.[7]
…..
New York State has violated this constitutional right. This ballot is by definition NOT SECRET if another person can clearly see it and read it.
Today’s vote should be declared null and void.