Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Elections warns voters about confusing special election; pollbook upgrade expected
Summary
The county Board of Elections outlined challenges for an upcoming special election paired with a primary, staff recruitment concerns, and plans to replace electronic pollbooks before Apple ends support for current devices.
Steve DeWitt of the Tompkins County Board of Elections told the Government Operations Committee on April 3 that the office is preparing for a complicated special election that will run the same day as a primary and involve different district lines.
DeWitt said the special election will use existing 2024 district lines while the primary will use the new lines taking effect next year. That means some voters in the same physical neighborhood could receive ballots for different districts and some voters will need to sign in twice, once for each election. "Some people who may get a ballot for one of those may not get the ballot for the other," DeWitt said; the elections office plans a voter mailing close to the election to explain the two contests.
DeWitt listed operational priorities: running fair and transparent elections, communicating voting options, recruiting and retaining poll workers, and upgrading equipment. He said Tompkins County currently offers nine days of early voting for primary and general elections and continues to use early vote-by-mail (no excuse absentee). The county recently launched an online training portal for poll workers.
A significant technical issue is replacing electronic pollbooks: DeWitt said Apple will stop supporting the county’s current pollbook tablets and the county will have to purchase replacements by the end of the year. He added that grant money is likely to cover most or all of that cost; if not, the Board of Elections will return to the Legislature for funding.
DeWitt also outlined filing timelines: designated-party petitions were due that day; independent petitions begin April 15 with filing between May 20 and May 27. He encouraged potential candidates to contact the elections office for guidance.
No committee action was taken; members thanked DeWitt and discussed outreach strategies, including encouraging local officeholders to help explain the two elections to constituents.
Ending: DeWitt said the office will continue preparations and follow up with the committee if additional funding is required for pollbook replacements.
