New York State regulations (9 NYCRR ยง 6210.19 require that the NYC Board of Elections "shall deploy sufficient voting equipment, election workers and other resources so that voter waiting time at a poll site does not exceed 30 minutes." Obviously, the NYC Board of Elections failed to comply with this mandate. They need to start working now to make the changes necessary to come into compliance for the next presidential election in November 2016. They need to have a completed revised plan to expand poll sites and to use poll workers more efficiently.
1
Recently moved from NYC to California after living there long enough to vote since 1992. Imagine my shock last week when I was simply able to drop my ballot off the Sunday before Election Day. New York needs to get with this program. I was able to research every propostion on the ballot at home and fill my ballot out over several days of informed decision-making. I didn't have to even go to a defined location based on my address, it was simply a list of designated locations in my county. And I can track it online.
6
So I think it is easy to see why probably a majority don't have full faith in our electoral process
4
Voting today was fairly easy and organized. But the couple just in front of me were upset as they could not be found in the record book, but had voted in the primaries, so it was odd...and they were mad.
Distressing is that in NY there were a number of "judges" up for "election" except no one was running against them, so why do we bother? The public is unaware of how judges become judges in Manhattan Supreme Court. Today was Doris Ling Cohan (who had been taken off the ballot for judicial misconduct, then put back....to run against absolutely no one at all).http://nypost.com/2016/09/12/jilted-judge-wins-re-election-ballot-battle...
Then Lori Sattler, a "matrimonial" judge and a few more. In a state with the largest number of lawyers in the US, Big Law gets to go before judges who are "elected" by running against no one. There is no there there. It's a disgrace.
When you have judges that answer to no one, elected by default, then you don't have real judges, and the public does not know until they get before one of these "elected" "judges" how it all works. Answer: it doesn't.
It took a LOT of patience to get through this entire grueling election season, but I think all of us are a great deal more aware as to how it works. It's been an eye-opening season, but for now I will just gripe about the quality of judicial candidates on the ballot - and that they run against no one.
Outrageous.
Distressing is that in NY there were a number of "judges" up for "election" except no one was running against them, so why do we bother? The public is unaware of how judges become judges in Manhattan Supreme Court. Today was Doris Ling Cohan (who had been taken off the ballot for judicial misconduct, then put back....to run against absolutely no one at all).http://nypost.com/2016/09/12/jilted-judge-wins-re-election-ballot-battle...
Then Lori Sattler, a "matrimonial" judge and a few more. In a state with the largest number of lawyers in the US, Big Law gets to go before judges who are "elected" by running against no one. There is no there there. It's a disgrace.
When you have judges that answer to no one, elected by default, then you don't have real judges, and the public does not know until they get before one of these "elected" "judges" how it all works. Answer: it doesn't.
It took a LOT of patience to get through this entire grueling election season, but I think all of us are a great deal more aware as to how it works. It's been an eye-opening season, but for now I will just gripe about the quality of judicial candidates on the ballot - and that they run against no one.
Outrageous.
16
It should not be this hard to vote. Who has the time to wait in line for hours? People have jobs, children, elderly and other responsibilities. I mailed in my CA ballot weeks ago.
This is the U.S.A., the most powerful nation in the world, in 2016. We can - and must - do better.
This is the U.S.A., the most powerful nation in the world, in 2016. We can - and must - do better.
9
I work in the city but voted in NJ since I'm registered there. Got to my voting station super early before the madness ensued. Very happy and honored to have this privilege that others outside of our country don't have.
4
Try Early voting - for such a large concentrated population, it just makes sense.
2
Absentee ballot is the only way to go.
2
No problem on the UWS -- I was still filling in the ballot while standing on the scan line, but it moved so quickly I had to let a few voters go in front of me.
In and out in under 10 minutes.
In and out in under 10 minutes.
Many of us who voted in NYC today have complaints about how the process was run. But the problem is that each year after the election we put that aside and nobody concentrates on making reform an issue. Perhaps this year will be different? On another point, the Board of Elections mails out notices to all registered voters with convenient size cards you can pop out and put in your wallet to bring to the polls. They have all your registration info printed on them, including election district and assembly district numbers that you may need at the polling place. I brought mine, but I noticed that most people didn't, which is why there were so many people arriving at the polls not knowing that information, causing delays while poll workers had to look things up for them. A little common sense and planning, voters!!
12
NYC voting operations is a disgrace. No one should have to wait more than 10-15 minutes in line to vote, anywhere in our country, much less in NYC. The leadership of the board of elections should be sacked immediately. In parts of the country with Repub governments, they are actively seeking to suppress the vote. That excuse does not fly in NYC, but we may as well be North Carolina, considering how difficult it is to vote. What imbecile thought it was a good idea to disallow early voting or voting by mail?
8
Having a National Voting Day, a holiday so folks could vote all day, at least for a new President, would be helpful.
10
No lines at noon at my polling place in Morningside Heights. In and out in less than fifteen minutes.
2
Why does NY make it so hard to vote early and more easily, or better yet by mail? Having come from Texas 12 years ago, it's a shame to me that it's so much easier to vote there.
3
Very fortunate to have a smooth experience at the Manhattan New School on E82nd between 1st and 2nd. Got there around 3pm, the line was short and moving steadily. I got in and finished everything in 20 minutes. Surprised to read of such bad experiences elsewhere in NYC - can't imagine what it's like in other parts of the country...
1
Sadly, only a few blocks away on East 88th Street, chaos reigned at 3PM. Lines down 88th and up York Ave for at least a block. Grossly incompetent poll workers, and at least one broken scanner.
1
"Mr. Rosenstein said ... many scanners should come back online by the end of the day."
End of the day, huh? That's kind of late isn't it? Not much time left to vote is there Mr. Rosenstein? Maybe have scanners that are tested and work, or is that too hard, requires too much organization and planning?
End of the day, huh? That's kind of late isn't it? Not much time left to vote is there Mr. Rosenstein? Maybe have scanners that are tested and work, or is that too hard, requires too much organization and planning?
11
I am a college educated 50 year old woman. I wanted to see what it would be like to work the polls last election. Oh my god. You have to get there before dawn and work with little break until 11pm all for about 10 dollars an hour (taxed!) - as you might imagine, the workers were generally elderly and unemployed, and often had a difficult time remembering the long long list of exacting little procedures they had to perform at each step in the voting process. I have never been so exhausted and offended at my pay in my life (and that includes scraping up waste in a pet store after school for minimum wage). If you want this process to go more smoothly and efficiently, the first step is to pay election day workers a reasonable amount and not rehire those who are unable to perform (many!). It would also help to have two shifts rather than making everyone work for 14 hours.
27
Amen!
4
I was a poll worker yesterday. I am an attorney and I also wanted to see what it was like to work the polls as well as help make sure people got their vote in. For such an important process, albeit only one day, the poll workers are not given enough training, instructions, or pay. I am sure that were were severely understaffed yesterday. We were given an open book 20 question quiz and if you fail, you can come back and take it again after additional training. Poll workers should also be evaluated for their performance and yes, do not rehire those that cannot do the job. As many were repeat poll workers, I believe the same mistakes are repeated again (scanners facing the crowds instead of the wall; incorrect info about affidavit ballots, wrong poll site so you can't vote here, inaccessibility). There was only one coordinator for the entire site, also poorly trained and talked to poll workers with such high disdain. Also, I could not believe certain poll workers who thought that screaming at other poll workers and voters was appropriate. We were also not able to take all our required breaks. The BOE must train and evaluate better. The standard for poll workers should be raised.
2
It's unbelievable that in a city like a New York that people still have to wait hours to vote and to rely on broken machines. What is it about the political hacks who run electoral systems that keep them from doing what other states do: make early voting or voting by mail easy? Let's call this incompetence what it is: voter suppression.
20
I believe the state legislature has to approve early voting. Even if some poll workers are not ideal, spreading the votingtime frames would help--early voting-wise and length-wise on Election Day. And the latter should be consistent. Why should some states close polls at 6 pm and others at 8 pm? Also remember that before couples in which both work were so common or the increased incidence of single parent households, there was a larger pool of workers to recruit to staff the polls. It can be a thankless task and broken machines, unclear procedures, etc. do not help.
But, you are right. There is voter suppression, and not just in NC...
But, you are right. There is voter suppression, and not just in NC...
4
We need early voting - it was a disgrace at my polling place this morning.
13
Well, I committed election fraud. No, I didn't vote twice, but I asked for an absentee ballot and said I would be out of town, although I am right here. In 2012 I waited over two hours in a school serving far too many precincts, and had to sit down on a dirty school corridor floor because at 74 I couldn't stand for so long. Now at 78 I wasn't even going to try. Only 13 states have no early voting!! What's wrong with you, New York?
18
I live in Oregon where it's all vote by mail. I filled out my ballot in front of the fireplace while enjoying a legal toke. This was back on Oct. 27th. I mailed in my ballot the next day, then nothing left to do but hope for Hillary. Voting by mail is the best.
16
Cool, I wonder how many other people toked before voting this year?
1
I got to my polling place in Inwood at 7:45 am and was out the door by 8am. Yes, it was pretty disorganized and crazy but I was so happy to see so many people out voting and being excited to vote that I was okay with standing in line to exercise my civic duty. After waiting 5 minutes the person behind me was cursing and complaining but she still got out 5 minutes after I did. Despite all that good cheer it is clear that NY state needs to reform it's voting procedures. Mail in only ballots like Washington or Oregon, early voting hours and days ....a federal holiday. Something, anything would be better than the system we have.
12
My polling location at Borough Hall in Brooklyn was arranged chaotically--a jumble of different criss-crossing masking taped lines on the floor to 1.) check in; 2.) provide a signature and receive a ballot 3.) fill out a ballot at a private station and 4.) scan one's ballot. The floor seemed arranged to resemble a life-sized Chutes 'n Ladders game board. No instructions or directions were provided. The room was filled over-capacity because no one was controlling the flow of voters into the voting room.
Our local leaders, newly or re-elected tomorrow, should make this their first priority tomorrow. What happened at my polling station this morning represents a threat to our democracy and from this article, it seems hardly the exception to the rule.
Our local leaders, newly or re-elected tomorrow, should make this their first priority tomorrow. What happened at my polling station this morning represents a threat to our democracy and from this article, it seems hardly the exception to the rule.
15
Voted early at P.S. 2 on Henry Street. There were more people there than I have ever seen in any election since I began voting there in 1984. About a dozen voters. The only issue was that the poll workers who look up your name in the lists, are barely literate and cannot alphabetize. But that is not a new problem.
4
This is disgraceful and ridiculous. Can we do nothing right anymore? After this endless and hideous election, I am left disgusted with what has happened to our political system. Where did we go wrong?
1
People voted us here!
1
No issues at my UWS polling place except the lines were somewhat longer than usual. I was out in 30 minutes, which didn't seem terrible to me. However, at PS 59 on the UES (where Trump voted), apparently 2 women got summonses after walking in, removing their tops, and making it clear that they weren't exactly voting for Trump.
1
New York voters are living in the 18th century! In Oregon, our ballots are mailed two us two weeks before the election and we mail them back before Election Day. No lines anywhere, ever!
16
i live in the upper east side. my polling place was changed for the 4th time since our previous election. upon mid-morning arrival, an "off-peak" time, chaos had evolved. masses of voters milled about the school auditorium. few appeared certain re what to do or where to go, much less if they were in the correct polling place. had the board of elections simply placed a welcoming table at each entrance, volunteers could have funneled would-be voters to the correct line or polling place. while I love the excitement of election day, based upon today's mayhem, going forward, i may opt for an absentee ballot.
7
Where I voted, the machine have lights next to the names - you press them and then push the VOTE button. Well, my machine had no lights, and it took some fiddling by poll personnel to get them to come on. Curiously, the woman before me in line left that booth and walked out never saying a word. I get the feeling her vote was not counted. And I am also wondering, was mine? It's time for changes, vote by mail or phone or computer, not with these rickety old machines which I have never had much confidence in, especially not after today.
16
I walked in, I voted, I left. No problem. Like the vast majority of voters. Report that. Stop being such curmudgeons already with the doom and gloom.
Save Doom 'n Gloom for tomorrow after we know the results.
Save Doom 'n Gloom for tomorrow after we know the results.
4
Seriously? NY has a whopping 50 technicians to handle scanner problems citywide??
In Milwaukee, WI alone, we have at least 20 techs, plus 'rapid response teams' and some level above even that, to deal with any issues that might come up in the county.
NY -- get it together!! You're too important to have this type of lackluster system.
In Milwaukee, WI alone, we have at least 20 techs, plus 'rapid response teams' and some level above even that, to deal with any issues that might come up in the county.
NY -- get it together!! You're too important to have this type of lackluster system.
6
I voted at PS191. I arrived at 7:35 a.m. to a snaking line in the play area.
Once inside, asking what table to go to, a single person with a piece of paper scrawled with several addresses in pencil, misdirected me and others to the wrong table where, after waiting in THAT line, someone , a resident of my building, using their phone, determined which table we should go to. Then another snaking line, manned by a cordial chatty fellow who was oblivious to the many many people waiting. We were then directed to another snaking line to cast ballots in private booths. I didn't have the time, but was admonished by a nice lady that I was depriving myself of casting a secrete ballot. The process took 1 1/2 hours before I was able to rush to my first appointment of the day.
In prior years, my polling place was in the lobby of the building where I live.
That changed 2 years ago. Why? To save money? This was a terrible process.
Once inside, asking what table to go to, a single person with a piece of paper scrawled with several addresses in pencil, misdirected me and others to the wrong table where, after waiting in THAT line, someone , a resident of my building, using their phone, determined which table we should go to. Then another snaking line, manned by a cordial chatty fellow who was oblivious to the many many people waiting. We were then directed to another snaking line to cast ballots in private booths. I didn't have the time, but was admonished by a nice lady that I was depriving myself of casting a secrete ballot. The process took 1 1/2 hours before I was able to rush to my first appointment of the day.
In prior years, my polling place was in the lobby of the building where I live.
That changed 2 years ago. Why? To save money? This was a terrible process.
10
Want to eliminate the long lines? Simple. Make Election Day a national holiday. Close up shop, all shops and vote.Yes some drug stores and other essential businesses would have exceptions. Hey, for those of us remember Sunday of years ago, before the greed of department stores took first place, same thing. Discussion of a fine for not voting is left for another day.
20
I tried finding my voting district online before going to my physical voting location. All I found were sites telling me where to vote, not giving me the specific of which district line to wait in for my ballot. The workers at the school have to pore through long lists of addresses in tiny fonts and tell you the district, which is made more confusing by districts being separated by odd and even address numbers. Who came up with that? Hard to read, easy to make a mistake. I was given the wrong district and waited in the wrong line, then had to start over. I was not the only one. We should be able to help ourselves on our smartphones with this one. Instead I'm walking a magnifying glass over to the workers.
3
Recommend votersedge.org.
Voted in kew gardens queens this morning arrived at polls at 8:05am and still made the 8:25 am train
2
How and why is it that in the most populous city, NYC, all voting must be done on one day? Why are we so behind the times - when broken machines and very long lines make it impossible for voters to have proper voting conditions?
We need early voting and mail in voting.
Wake up NYS and change this before the next election.
We need early voting and mail in voting.
Wake up NYS and change this before the next election.
26
Why are Americans so bad at the actual mechanics of elections? It's not exactly a secret when the election is, or how many voters are in a given area. The polling station in one part of Inwood had 5 of its 6 scanners down all day and news reports indicate this was hardly atypical of New York or much of the country. Did someone not think to maybe check the equipment first? Or work out how many machines would be needed for a given population?
Why not have advance polls, as Canada does? (These allow for weekend voting and take place 7 to 10 days before the election). Why not allow anyone to vote by mail if they so desire? Or at a local elections office months in advance? Maybe if so much money wasn't wasted on primaries (what is this, the third voting day this year in NYC?) it could be spent on running an election properly.
Why not have advance polls, as Canada does? (These allow for weekend voting and take place 7 to 10 days before the election). Why not allow anyone to vote by mail if they so desire? Or at a local elections office months in advance? Maybe if so much money wasn't wasted on primaries (what is this, the third voting day this year in NYC?) it could be spent on running an election properly.
10
Thanks America for using for vote, I hope it will show that the majority of you know the way forward is not about bullying and intimidation. It is about coming up with the best policies for everyone everywhere. Your vote isn't just about America it is a vote for this beautiful blue planet we all happen to share
1
I think American voters should be asking themselves why lining up for more than fifteen minutes to cast a ballot has become an acceptable part of the political culture here.
In the ten or so times I voted in the Republic of Ireland I have never once had to wait. Whenever I arrived at the polling station there was always a free booth for me to use (after I had collected my ballots from the polling officer).
It is clear that having a culture where one has to wait to vote strongly disincentivizes people from doing so, especially those with family or work obligations. I think it should be viewed as an unnecessary burden on the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right, and dealt with accordingly.
In the ten or so times I voted in the Republic of Ireland I have never once had to wait. Whenever I arrived at the polling station there was always a free booth for me to use (after I had collected my ballots from the polling officer).
It is clear that having a culture where one has to wait to vote strongly disincentivizes people from doing so, especially those with family or work obligations. I think it should be viewed as an unnecessary burden on the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right, and dealt with accordingly.
24
Precinct voting is out of date and a waste of time. Mail in ballots are easy and safe. Shame on you New York.
24
This is equivalent to a widespread form of voter suppression imposed upon New York City voters by bureaucratic incompetency. And it happens during all big elections here in NYC.
Every citizen should be able to exercise the right to vote without the unreasonable burden of standing in line for hours, confronting broken voting machines or being told to, "come back later."
The East Side voting location where Trump voted was shut down this morning for over an hour, in anticipation of his arrival, while scores of voters waited on line outside. Some waited close to 3 hours,. Unacceptable.
The fact that DeBlassio thought things were going smoothly, demonstrates how out of touch he is.
Every citizen should be able to exercise the right to vote without the unreasonable burden of standing in line for hours, confronting broken voting machines or being told to, "come back later."
The East Side voting location where Trump voted was shut down this morning for over an hour, in anticipation of his arrival, while scores of voters waited on line outside. Some waited close to 3 hours,. Unacceptable.
The fact that DeBlassio thought things were going smoothly, demonstrates how out of touch he is.
22
Voting early is the antidote for standing in line, on election day. This is why it should be a federal holiday, so people don't have to miss work. Ridiculous.
10
Some do not get even federal holidays off. Service workers, medical workers, cops, firefighters.And what happens to people who actually have to work quite a distance from where they vote? In NYC there are cops at polling places and over 5000 on duty because both major candidates have headquarters in NYC, will have the run down to the results and the evening celebrations/sorrows occurring. How do the cops vote? (Ps not all cops support Trump, either (; ).
In MD there is early voting and good clear instructions on absentee voting with the actual ballots available online to be completed by hand and mailed. My kid lives abroad and had mailed his ballot by early October. He never misses an election. TX has absentee voting but, guess what, the ballots are not available online to print out. So what do you do if you are out of town/country when they are available?
There should be early voting nationwide; all employers should be required to give 3hours free leave for employees to cast their ballots, if not the full day, on Election Day or during early voting.
In reading the article it is clear that inconsistency occurred in the city. Scanners break, but how can one polling place switch to emergency ballots within 1/2 hour but at another people left, hoping to return, after waiting two hours? Have emergency procedures kick in in some set time!
I always vote and have always voted. It is a very important treasured right. Why should exercising it vary in difficulty?
In MD there is early voting and good clear instructions on absentee voting with the actual ballots available online to be completed by hand and mailed. My kid lives abroad and had mailed his ballot by early October. He never misses an election. TX has absentee voting but, guess what, the ballots are not available online to print out. So what do you do if you are out of town/country when they are available?
There should be early voting nationwide; all employers should be required to give 3hours free leave for employees to cast their ballots, if not the full day, on Election Day or during early voting.
In reading the article it is clear that inconsistency occurred in the city. Scanners break, but how can one polling place switch to emergency ballots within 1/2 hour but at another people left, hoping to return, after waiting two hours? Have emergency procedures kick in in some set time!
I always vote and have always voted. It is a very important treasured right. Why should exercising it vary in difficulty?
2
I wonder if the board of elections had any advance warning? I mean, there's hardly been any mention of this election beforehand, right?
Waited well over an hour to have my ballot scanned because apparently the scanners were never tested for the high volume of ballots being cast. Ah, technology. Making life easier by the year.
Waited well over an hour to have my ballot scanned because apparently the scanners were never tested for the high volume of ballots being cast. Ah, technology. Making life easier by the year.
7
No problems but a somewhat longish wait for certain folks here in Carroll Gardens at PS 142. My own district had no waiting, but there was a long line (45 mins or so) for others.
1
Talk about madness......here on the West Coast, many of us mailed in our ballots. Easy, peasy. It's boggling to the mind why populous states like NY and TX don't have the same option.
It's especially great for those on a tight schedule or with other challenges getting to the polls (disabled, elderly, etc.). Also, marking my ballot at home allowed me to think about and look up stuff while completing the ballot instead of having to make hasty decisions in the booth.
It's especially great for those on a tight schedule or with other challenges getting to the polls (disabled, elderly, etc.). Also, marking my ballot at home allowed me to think about and look up stuff while completing the ballot instead of having to make hasty decisions in the booth.
17
The scanners weren't even present at P.S. 217 on Roosevelt island at 9:00 AM. Instead, completed ballots had to be placed in some sort of "emergency scanner." I have no idea if those ballots will ever be counted.
5
An hour and a half later, they were working.
1
The ballots placed in the "Emergency Scanner" which is really the emergency ballot box section of the scanner, should be scanned at the end of the day before the polling place closes.
New York, you can do better. Way out here more than half the people voted early by mail. So easy. In NYC my Millenial daughter had to be at the polka way before 6 to be sure of being able to vote before work.
2