Several Long Island City residents voting at P.S. 78 took to Twitter to express frustration as they wait in line for two or more hours to vote.
The polling site is located at 48-09 Center Blvd. and residents have been tweeting issues they’re experiencing at Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
Twitter user Jennifer Ewing called the site “a disaster.” She said she waited 2 1/2 hours to cast her vote.
@jimmyvanbramer district 23 voting at PS 78 is a disaster. In line for 2 1/2 hours because of misallocated voting booths.
— Jennifer Ewing (@ewije) November 8, 2016
Chappell Ellison said on Twitter that some people have given up after waiting in lines for hours.
https://twitter.com/ChappellTracker/status/796050453171732480
According to a Board of Elections spokesperson, the agency has been notified of the problem and there are currently technicians at the scene. This year, unlike other elections, voters are responsible for scanning their ballots.
“We have technicians out there working on some faulty scanners that they’re dealing with,” he said.
It was not clear how long it would take to resolve the issue.
Long Island City residents were not the only ones experiencing issues. Emily Cintrón said on Twitter that a poll worker asked to see her ID as she walked in to her site at Academy of the City Charter School in Woodside.
Poll worker asked for ID as soon as I approached table. @HillaryClinton @chuckschumer @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCMayor @BOENYC @JimmyVanBramer
— Emily Cintrón (@Emily_Cintron) November 8, 2016
New York is one of 18 states that does not require residents to show identification at a polling place.
Twitter user @YellowTrapezoid reported seeing poll workers ask voters in Sunnyside to show identification. The Queens Board of Elections confirmed that they were dispatching an official to the site.
I just called BOE about Sunnyside 39thST/48th AVe asking for ID -Queens BoD is sending inspector.
— Yellowtrapezoid (@Yellowtrapezoid) November 8, 2016
At Frank Sinatra School for the Arts in Astoria, a couple was told they could be arrested for taking a picture while waiting in line to vote.
https://twitter.com/DamienADuPont/status/796047806196748289
If you experience any problems at your polling site, reach out to the Queens Board of Elections at 718-730-6730 or email at electioninfo@boe.nyc.ny.us. Please also share details with us by emailing editorial[at]qns.com or on our Twitter page with the hashtag #QNSvotes.
Polls in New York close at 9 p.m. and if you are in line by that time, poll workers must allow you to vote.
