Board of Elections Wants $1.6 Million for Mailing

To answer the public outcry following the Democratic Primary election last Thursday in which some voters found themselves at the wrong polling place, the New York City Board of Elections (NYCBOE) moved to ask City Council for $1.6 million to send a second round of mail out to inform voters when and where they can vote for the federal elections on Nov. 6.
Board of Elections Wants $1.6 Million for Mailing
Empty voting booths at a public school in the Financial District on Sept. 13. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)
Kristen Meriwether
9/18/2012
Updated:
9/29/2015
<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Frrederic+Umane+BOE_BenC_9833.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-293812" title="Commissioner Frederic Umane speaks during a Board of Elections commissioner's meeting in Manhattan Tuesday. The Commissioners of Elections President Maria Guastella (L) stands next to Commissioner Juan Carlos Polanco.(Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Frrederic+Umane+BOE_BenC_9833-676x450.jpg" alt="Commissioner Frederic Umane speaks during a Board of Elections commissioner's meeting in Manhattan Tuesday. The Commissioners of Elections President Maria Guastella (L) stands next to Commissioner Juan Carlos Polanco.(Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)" width="590" height="393"/></a>
Commissioner Frederic Umane speaks during a Board of Elections commissioner's meeting in Manhattan Tuesday. The Commissioners of Elections President Maria Guastella (L) stands next to Commissioner Juan Carlos Polanco.(Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

NEW YORK—To answer the public outcry following the Democratic Primary election last Thursday in which some voters found themselves at the wrong polling place, the New York City Board of Elections (NYCBOE) moved to ask City Council for $1.6 million to send a second round of mail out to inform voters when and where they can vote for the federal elections on Nov. 6.

“One of the main complaints from the voters is they don’t know where to vote,” Commissioner Naomi Barrera said during a commissioner meeting at the NYCBOE headquarters Tuesday. 

“We did have redistricting this year. I think it is a phenomenal idea, if we can get the funding.”

Commissioner Juan Carlos Polanco called the decision a “no brainer,” but Commissioner Frederic Umane was not so sure: “I don’t think it is a no brainer. I do not think it is appropriate for us to do more than what is required by the statute. What are we going to do? One? Five? Ten?”

The state statutes require one mailer be sent by August letting voters know where and when to cast their votes, which was done. In addition to the personalized mailers, ads are taken out in newspapers, as well as information on websites and mobile phone applications.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/voting+booths_BenC_9428.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-293813" title="Empty voting booths at a public school in the Financial District on Sept. 13. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/voting+booths_BenC_9428-676x450.jpg" alt="Empty voting booths at a public school in the Financial District on Sept. 13. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)" width="590" height="393"/></a>
Empty voting booths at a public school in the Financial District on Sept. 13. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

After a short debate, Commissioner Gregory Soumas said, “As a Democratic commissioner, if people don’t read the newspaper, check the website, and read their mail, I am getting close to agreeing with Commissioner Umane.”

The design and production of the second mailer is only $212,000, but the postage, which must go first class because it is personalized, will cost $1.4 million. The postage will include a tracking system, which will tell the BOE if the post office does not deliver it.

City Councilwoman Gale Brewer extended an invitation to the board on Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. to discuss election oversight. Funding will likely need to be decided before then, as the mailers must be mailed beginning Oct. 19.

Election Night Results

There were issues with getting people to the polls, however getting the unofficial election night results with the new portable memory devices (PMD) went well.

“For the most part, everything worked, at least in 97 percent of the cases, the sticks were able to be read and the votes were able to be transferred,” John Naudus of the BOE said.

Naudus said the new process, which replaced the highly criticized cut and paste method, did take longer—they did not finish until 2:30 a.m.—but he believes it is more accurate. 

Only seven PMDs were replaced for mechanical failure on election night.

The BOE had six weeks to prepare the new system and will make adjustments such as increased bandwidth at their general office for uploading results and more training for poll workers.

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