Updated 11/01/2010 08:20 PM
Election Day Not On The Mind Of Many New Yorkers
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Even with high-profile contests like the governor's race and local congressional races on the ballot, some New Yorkers who spoke with NY1 on Monday did not seem very interested in voting on Tuesday, while others worried problems at the polls may stop them from voting. NY1's Rocco Vertuccio filed the following report. On the day before the election, some commuters at Jamaica Station were more concerned about getting where they were going than with who's going to win or lose Tuesday.
"I don't vote. All the candidates care about themselves, they don't care about nobody,” said one New Yorker.
While some have no interest, others are worried about who will end up with control of Congress.
"I hope the Democrats gain a lot more power in both Congress and the Senate,” said a voter.
"I think it's the Democrats run amuck. It's all tax and spending,” said another. “I'm sick of it."
After problems during the primary with the new voting machines and poorly-trained poll workers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the whole process a “royal screw up.” Some people who say they do want to vote are worried they won't be able to.
"Yes it is a big concern because we are not getting to post our vote,” said a concerned resident.
The Board of Elections tells NY1 that all voting machines have been delivered to their polling sites and poll workers have been re-trained to avoid the problems from the primary.
But the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School is still concerned. The director of the center's voting rights and elections project says problems with the voter registration system and glitches with voting machines could again cause trouble for voters.
“The instructions are incorrect in some of the voting booths. You fill out the oval below your candidate of choice's name, not above it,” explained Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center for Justice. “And make sure you vote for only one candidate on one party line for each race, except the judicial races. That's the only way to make sure that your vote will count as you want it to.”
The Brennan Center will have an Election Day helpline that New Yorkers are advised to call if they have any trouble voting. The number is 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Voters can also report voting problems to 311. They'll will be asked to fill out a survey on the city's website, www.nyc.gov.
In addition to marking their ballots for local and national races, voters will also get to decide whether to limit elected officials to two consecutive terms in office.
It's one of the initiatives printed on the back of the ballot.
The question comes two years after Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council changed the law to allow them to serve three terms.