Michael Augugliaro went into his polling place in Bellerose to cast his vote at around 5:30 p.m. on primary night, but when he went to sign into vote, there was one problem. The poll workers manning his sign-in table told him he had signed in to vote shortly after 6 a.m. – but Augugliaro said that was clearly not him.
“I’m wondering how many people this happened to,” Augugliaro said. “Whoever did this, I don’t think their intention were to do this for one vote.”
While voter fraud is often alleged during many elections, this year’s new voting machines, which debuted – many say unsuccessfully – during the September 16 primary, have caused local legislators to call for immediate hearings to address a number of issues before the November elections.
Queens State Senator Joseph Addabbo, who is the Chair of the State Senate Elections Committee, said he plans to hold hearings this month and work with the city Board of Elections to address a number of problems including setting up the machines, polling places opening late and delays in signing in voters at others.
“Elections are a fundamental part of our society and our democracy,” Addabbo said. “As Chair of the Senate Elections Committee, it is my responsibility to hear the concerns of voters and poll workers and act on them. I am concerned when the administration cuts the budget for elections and then expects them to function smoothly.”
Federal law required New York to replace the old lever-operated voting machines. New electronic optical scan machines were selected after extensive review and testing of various systems.
Another complaint that some voters and local legislators highlighted was the miniscule type on the ballots making it difficult for voters to read the names of the candidates.
City Councilmember Dan Halloran, who visited a number of polling sites and talked with voters in his northeast Queens district, said the city’s Board of Elections has a lot of work to do before November 2.
“It’s bad enough that the primaries were affected. The general election is in 47 days, and it will draw many more voters to the polls than we had yesterday,” Halloran said. “The general election ballot will have a full slate of offices, plus important charter revision issues. I fear this will result in even smaller type and smaller ovals to fill in. I call on the Board of Elections to fix these mistakes before November 2.”
