Politics & Government
Broken Scanners And Long Lines Plague Brooklyn Polling Sites
"I had to document this," voter Marshall S. Thompson tweeted, along with a photo of a packed polling site. "400+ people waiting 2-3 hours."
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- Voters across Brooklyn reported polling stations with broken scanning machines that caused many to wait hours in line and others to walk away without casting a ballot, Brooklynites reported.
Brooklynites participating in the 2018 midterm elections on Nov. 6 were plagued by busted ballot scanners at dozens of polling sites all over the borough, from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge and from Carroll Gardens to Flatbush, according to reports from Twitter.
"I had to document this," wrote Williamsburg voter Marshall S. Thompson. "3 broken voting machines and 1 working machine is unacceptable. 400+ people waiting 2-3 hours to vote"
Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
All the scanners at Ingersoll Community Center in Fort Greene BK are broken. Voters are just leaving their ballots or walking out. Total Chaos #ElectionDay2018 #GoVote @nyc311 @NYGovCuomo @TheDemocrats
— Angela Palladino (@angpal) November 6, 2018
Every ballot scanner is broken at PS 29. The line is worse than Trader Joe's. @NYCVotes #vote pic.twitter.com/a59IiolAkF
— Bahij Chancey (@Bahij) November 6, 2018
@BOENYC @NY1 scanners broken at 60 Division in Williamsburg this am, hoping volunteers remember to count the emergency box. Sounds like a problem happening throughout the city.
— Anna Lynch-Sparks (@annalynchsparks) November 6, 2018
Hundreds of people in line at Erasmus high in BK waiting to scan their ballots because of broken scanners. Good system pic.twitter.com/9keg8EfXiF
— Hamilton Nolan (@hamiltonnolan) November 6, 2018
The New York City Board of Elections did not immediately respond to Patch's request for more information about the numerous broken scanners, and voters noted difficulty in connecting with the agency on election day.
"No one answering the scanner extension on the Brooklyn office line," Will Femia alerted the BOE on Twitter.
Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Are you guys doing anything about broken machines?" Asked @AVeryNastyWoman. "There are many tweets re scanners not working in Brooklyn."
.@BOENYC polling site at 241 Emerson in Clinton Hill Brooklyn has 2 of 5 scanners down. We consistently have one of the highest turnouts in NYC. I waited over an hour to vote, as did dozens of senior citizens. Please fix!
— Carly G (@litachiqita) November 6, 2018
.@BOENYC polling site at 241 Emerson in Clinton Hill Brooklyn has 2 of 5 scanners down. We consistently have one of the highest turnouts in NYC. I waited over an hour to vote, as did dozens of senior citizens. Please fix!
— Carly G (@litachiqita) November 6, 2018
@errollouis Three of six scanners broken at Leonard St polling location in Wburg/Greenpoint. Took over two hours to vote, much of that time outside in a downpour. NYC needs early voting, more polling places, and better resources on site! Vid of small portion of the line pic.twitter.com/fMzUcf5Fyy
— Stephanie Palumbo (@SJPalumbo) November 6, 2018
But, despite delays, New Yorkers also noted the large number of people willing to stick out the rain and long lines to cast their votes.
Every one of these people is waiting to use the one unbroken scanner in East Williamsburg poll on N Henry. That’s only 1/2 the room. #tryingtovote #vote pic.twitter.com/FyV8iGdcS1
— obsessive sweets (@obsessivesweets) November 6, 2018
There's problems at the polls AGAIN this #ElectionDay . Multiple machines are broken at PS 705 Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School, for the second election in a row. What gives, @BOENYC?! Thankfully, my neighbors are resilient. A long line to vote is encouraging in 2018.
— Stefan Ringel (@StefanRingel) November 6, 2018
And several voters told Patch they'd never seen so many people turn out at their polling sites before.
"This is the biggest turnout I've ever seen," said Andie Springer, 34, who voted in Ditmas Park Tuesday morning.
Springer said she believed the turnout was a response to the low numbers of voters reported in the 2016 presidential election.
"It's been made clear how apathetic everyone is," Springer said. "We have to right this s---."
Photo courtesy of Marshall S. Thompson/Twitter, used with permission
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