County Board to Take a Look
By Dan Murphy
After getting an earful from thousands of Westchester residents who voted, or tried to vote in person on Primary Day June 23 and faced long lines and aggravation, the County Board of Legislators will meet with election commissioners to try and find ways to avoid what some have called last month’s primary-a disaster and one candidate for Congress, Allison Fine, called for Westchester’s two Commissioners to resign.
BOL Chairman Ben Boykin said, “The Board of Legislators has no authority over how the Board of Elections conducts elections. The BOE is an independent body that reports to the State Board of Elections. But it is imperative that voters in Westchester have confidence in the way elections are held in our County, and as representatives of the people of Westchester, we must do what we can to ensure that.
“The June 23 primaries were conducted under a perfect storm of difficult conditions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unprecedented process for and volume of absentee voting, the difficulty in recruiting and training poll workers in the face of the pandemic, and the challenges of locating a sufficient number of suitable voting places presented challenging circumstances.
“Unfortunately, as a result, confusion about absentee voting was widespread and Election Day lines were unacceptably long. It is imperative that we examine what happened and understand quickly what steps need to be taken to make sure that things will be better in November.”
The Board of Legislators is planning a COW for the week of July 20 (specific date to be determined) with County Board of Elections Commissioners and staff. In future meetings, the BOL is also planning to speak with voters, advocates, State Board of Elections representatives and others to help ensure that clear and pro-active steps are taken before November.
In particular, Legislators are interested in hearing about improvements in the following areas: Early voting, Communications, Poll worker recruitment and training, Poll sites, PPE and safety supplies, Physical and absentee voting logistics.
Majority Leader MaryJane Shimsky, said, “Our voting system had to deal with numerous shocks during the June primary, the result of the coronavirus pandemic and the largest primary voting turnout in decades. Westchester County’s election system cannot be caught by surprise again. We need to make sure we are ready for what will likely be record-setting turnout for the general election in November. We look forward to working together with the Board of Elections, advocates, State officials and others to make sure our County is prepared for November.”
The Board of Legislators would like to hear first-hand experiences from those who voted this June as well. We are asking voters to share their experiences, as specifically as possible, by email at BOLPublicComments@westchesterlegislators.com.
Rising newspapers has also received several letters from our readers across Westchester about voting in the primary last month. Robert Kalfus from Yonkers, wrote the following letter to the BOE Commissioners.
“I applied for an Absentee Ballot to vote in the June 23 Primary election and received same. Numerous websites, newspapers, radio and TV broadcast the information that in order for the Absentee Ballot to be valid and counted, regulations required that it be postmarked “before or on the day of the Primary Election”, June 23, 2020.
“On Tuesday morning, June 23, after finishing researching the latest information on the candidates, I prepared to properly mark my Absentee Ballot and mail it at the Yonkers Avenue Post Office branch.
But then I saw, written on the Absentee Ballot envelope: “The Board of Elections must receive the ballot not later than the close of polls on election day or have a Postal cancellation mark not later than the day before the election and received by such board of elections not later than seven days following the day of election…”
Requiring a cancellation date to be postmarked the day before the election is contrary to ALL information broadcast and disseminated by the Westchester Board of Elections, and reported by numerous media. The information printed on the envelope, contrary to all other information, caused me, a high-risk 68 year old individual, to stand on line for more than TWO HOURS in pain from my arthritic knee, and from my four hip replacement surgeries, unable to sit, and unable to leave to use a bathroom.
A link is provided below to NY Daily News articles, which reported the same information as did ALL other media that the envelope needed only to be postmarked by the Primary Election date, June 23 – not the day before. Please tell me which version was correct. And which info was NOT correct,” wrote Kalfus, who added what happened to him on primary evening.
“When I guided my pieces of paper into the sole ballot scanner, I saw the number 750 appear. The Election worker explained that because each person voted using two pieces of paper, I was the 325th person to vote at 9:16 PM. When I exited the building, the line of people waiting to vote was as long as when I started, going from from the single HS entrance north on Kneeland Avenue, at 9:22 pm.
“A campaign worker gave free 4 oz bottles of water to people waiting on line, outside on the Kneeland Avenue sidewalk, labelled “Dan Romano for City Court Judge”. The election workers, who worked past the 9 pm cutoff time and admitted all those on line at 9 pm, deserve huge kudos for their extra-long day into night of service devoted to preserving democracy and people’s rights to a secure vote,” wrote Kalfus.
