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Thousands of problems at polling stations throughout New York City prompted the New York City Comptroller to launch an audit of the Board of Elections.
“Why is it alleged that 125,000 people have been removed from the voter rolls? Why did 60,000 people receive notices to vote that didn’t have the primary date? Why were people told they were in the wrong polling place time and time again?” asked Comptroller Scott Stringer, according to CBS2 New York.
“The next president of the United States could very easily be decided tonight and yet the incompetence of the Board of Elections puts a cloud over these results.”
Stringer listed numerous problems in a letter to the City’s Election Board Executive Director, Michael Ryan, ranging from “faulty ballot scanners and polling locations that opened late (or not at all), to poorly staffed polling sites and voters whose registrations were seemingly purged from the rolls.”
“Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican,” Stringer wrote, ” all New Yorkers deserve an electoral system that is free, fair and efficient – not one riddled with chaos and confusion.”
Complaints were posted on Twitter by many voters as they faced problems at polls across the city. Television and radio contributor John Burnett reported no Republican ballots in Harlem where he tried to vote.
CORRUPTION IN FULL FORCE in Harlem…I’m told there are NO republican ballots available and I was given this one pic.twitter.com/qaDrctjhOG
— John Burnett (@IAmJohnBurnett) April 19, 2016
After showing voter card I signed book and given @democrat ballot. I asked for @GOP ballot, told no more and to wait pic.twitter.com/iFBo3whmI8
— John Burnett (@IAmJohnBurnett) April 19, 2016
Other problems cited scanner or registry issues.
1/2 @BrianLehrer At my polling venue in Windsor Terrace this AM they didn’t have the list of names past N in our district. #NYPrimary
— sheiman (@sheiman) April 19, 2016
2/2 @BrianLehrer So those w/last names @ end of the alphabet had to vote by affidavit. They may get rest of the names later. #NYPrimary
— sheiman (@sheiman) April 19, 2016
Frustrating ~ was given wrong info by staff twice ~ machine would not scan ballot, hence unable to vote in Brooklyn District 30 #NYPrimary
— Heide Kolb (@heidiko44) April 19, 2016
am mad as hell for my vote not being counted b/c scanner would not accept ballot Brooklyn District 30 #NYPrimary #fixit #educatevolunteers
— Heide Kolb (@heidiko44) April 19, 2016
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office reported in excess of 500 phone calls and 140 emails with complaints, the largest volume for a general election since Schneiderman took office in 2011, reported CBS2.
In a statement, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he is supporting the audit by the comptroller, noting that “major reforms will be needed to the Board of Election and in the state law governing it.”
The Board of Elections said the complaints were no different from problems they have faced in other elections. “The problems were on par with other years, but more media attention has been paid to this primary because of the candidates,” the board told CBS2.
Executive Director Ryan disagreed with the need for an audit, stating that most of the problems were anecdotal.
“Either it was a relatively minor problem that was resolved, or it was a problem that didn’t exist in the first place. And on top of that, there was quite a bit of lack of understanding on the part of voters with respect to New York’s closed primary system,” Ryan told CBS2.
Watch the report in the video below.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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