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Early Voting is Underway in Onondaga County Early Voting is Underway in Onondaga County

By Bernard Kellman

Two Onondaga County voters cast early ballots.
© 2019 Bernie Kellman

Balkin: FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER — YOU CAN VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY IN ONONDAGA COUNTY…

NCC NEWS REPORTER BERNIE KELLMAN IS LIVE FROM ONE LOCAL POLLING PLACE…

BERNIE — WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S ELECTIONS?

Kellman: THANKS GUYS, RIGHT NOW I AM STANDING OUTSIDE THE SYRACUSE SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY…

TODAY AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, ONONDAGA COUNTY CITIZENS ARE SHOWING UP TO THE POLLS FOR THE FIRST EVER EARLY VOTING PERIOD IN NEW YORK STATE.

HOWEVER, THE OPTION TO VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY ISN’T THE ONLY THING SYRACUSE RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT TO CHANGE ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS THIS YEAR. STARTING THIS YEAR ONONDAGA COUNTY IS HAVING VOTERS SIGN IN TO POLLING PLACES ON ELECTRONIC POLL PADS. ACCORDING TO BOARD OF ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER DUSTIN CZARNY, THE ADDITION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL MAKE THE VOTING PROCESS MORE SECURE AND MORE EFFICIENT IN THE FUTURE…

Czarny:WELL I THINK THERE’S ALWAYS CONCERN WHEN YOU’RE ROLLING OUT NEW TECHNOLOGY… BUT ONCE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU’RE NOT VOTING ELECTRONICALLY, YOU’RE STILL VOTING ON PAPER, AND ALL WE’RE REALLY DOING IS REPLACING THOSE LEDGERS THAT WE USED TO HAVE AND THAT WE’RE HAVING A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM THAT’S STILL PRETTY SECURE. PEOPLE ARE LIKING IT ALOT.

Kellman: ALONG WITH THE EARLY VOTING AND THE ADDITION OF ELECTRONIC SIGN IN REQUIREMENTS AT POLLING PLACES…. THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME ONONDAGA COUNTY ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT. COMMISSIONER CZARNY SAYS THAT STATE FUNDING IS A HUGE HELP TO THE COUNTY, AS IT ALLOWS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO SPEND LESS AND HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THEIR LIMITED BUDGET…

Balkin: THAT’S A LOT OF CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR BERIE, WHAT ELSE CAN SYRACUSE RESIDENTS EXPECT FROM ELECTION REFORM IN THE FUTURE?

Kellman: WELL NOTHING IS SET IN STONE AT THIS POINT, BUT COMMISSIONER CZARNY TOLD ME THAT IN THE FUTURE HE’S GOING TO PUSH FOR MORE VOTER-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES THAT MEANS THINGS LIKE AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION, AN EXPANSION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION PERIOD, AND HAVING MORE POLLING PLACES ACROSS OPEN ONONDAGA COUNTY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE AND WHEN YOU CAN GET OUT TO VOTE THIS YEAR GO TO THE ONONDAGA BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE OR LEARN MORE ON N-C-C NEWS ONLINE.

FOR N-C-C NEWS — I’M BERNIE KELLAMN.

BACK TO YOU GUYS.

By Bernie Kellman SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – For the first time ever, Onondaga County voters can cast their ballots before election day on Nov. 5.

New York’s first ever early voting period started this past Saturday and runs until Sunday Nov. 3. Voters in Onondaga County can go to any of the six polling places in their home county to cast their votes before election day.

Along with the early voting, Onondaga County is also introducing new electronic voter sign-in stations at polling places. These electronic polling pads instantly pull up a registered voter’s voter information, address, and more in order to quicken the voting process.

“I think there’s always a concern when you’re rolling out new technology, but once the people understood that you’re not voting electronically, you’re still voting on paper, and all we’re really doing is replacing those ledgers we used to have,” said Dustin Czarny, Onondaga County Board of Elections Commissioner. “We’re getting a more efficient system that’s still pretty secure. People are liking it a lot.”

This is also the first year that the New York state government is funding Onondaga County’s elections. According to Czarny state funding for local elections is a massive help to the Onondaga County government. The state funding will allow the local government to save money now so that they can be more flexible with the county budget moving forward.

For more information about this year’s elections visit the Onondaga County Board of Elections website.

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