Broome Election Officials Want to Know About Voting Problems

Broome County board of election representatives say their employees have been working to ensure voting goes smoothly at all polling places. But if problems do crop up, they want to hear about them on election day so they are able to take action.

Speaking on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program, deputy election commissioner Mary Pines said voters should immediately notify the office if they encounter accessibility issues or other problems at a polling place.

The Board of Elections office may be reached at 607.778.2172. Workers will be there Tuesday from early in the morning until late at night.

On Monday afternoon, the office was fielding calls from several people who had relatives who are hospitalized and would not be able to vote in person. In those cases, absentee ballots were faxed to make it possible for those in the hospital to cast a ballot.

Deputy election commissioner Karen Davis told WNBF News that someone who is ill on Tuesday and unable to make it to a polling place won't be able to vote.

Davis said while there has been discussion of state legislation to address that, it hasn't been acted on. That means a person who experiences a sudden sickness and had not sought an absentee ballot prior to election day would be out of luck.

The Board of Elections office in the Broome County Office Building in downtown Binghamton has eleven incoming phone lines and, Davis said, they were very busy all day Monday.

Polls in New York State will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Polls in Pennsylvania will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Listen to News Radio 1290 WNBF on air and online for live election coverage Tuesday night.