Frustrated voters wrestle with polling problems on crucial Election Day

<p>Many voters across&nbsp;Brooklyn are expressing their frustrations about problems had while trying to cast their vote on this crucial Election Day.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 6, 2018, 11:03 AM

Updated 2,089 days ago

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Many voters across Brooklyn expressed frustration about problems experienced while trying to cast their vote on this crucial Election Day.
Ingersol Community Center was among the Brooklyn polling sites that had machines down Tuesday morning. The issues caused massive lines, filing the entire gym.
According to a New York City Board of Elections spokesperson, the rainy and damp weather was causing headaches. Voters filling out their ballots in the rain, or inside but getting the ballots wet were damaging the actual paper. This caused the ballots to jam the machine.
The Board of Elections also cited rips and stray mark on paper ballots causing issues.
Many voters worried that problems would mean their vote would not be counted in time, but the Election Day coordinator stressed that they would. He said when polls closed, police officers would take the ballot boxes to the local precinct. From there, the Board of Elections would count up the votes.
Voters at Manhattan College also experienced issues, with only one machine working to count ballots. 
Despite rainy conditions, polling sites were packed with some even lining up before polls opened. Elected officials begged voters to brave the storm, whether that meant rainy conditions or any issues at polling places to cast their votes.
New York voters saw a two-page ballot for the first time this year. Board of Elections Executive Director Michael Ryan said the change presented unique challenges.
"This is the first time this is being done in the city of New York for a general election, it is the first time for us and it's the first time for the voters," says Ryan. "Anytime you're doing something for the first time, there's a learning curve. We will learn from whatever issues arose on Election Day after we do our analysis, as well as the voters will learn for the next time should we find ourselves of having a two-page ballot again."
In response to the issues, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called for the resignation of Ryan, saying voting should not be this difficult. Ryan responded saying now was not the time to have that conversation, and that he was focusing on making certain that every voter had an opportunity to cast a ballot.


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