Politics & Government

District Attorney Staff Will Be Investigating Voting Issues on Election Day

Madeline Singas said her staff will look into all claims of voter intimidation or fraud are addressed.

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that her office will have prosecutors and investigators available to address voting-relating issues on Election Day for the general election and reminded registered voters of their rights to cast a ballot.

“Nassau voters should have confidence that they can exercise their right to vote without fear of intimidation, and prosecutors and investigators from my office will be available on Election Day to ensure that any unlawful effort to impair that right is investigated and prosecuted,” Singas said.

On Nov. 8, the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Bureau will be on call at (516) 571-2100 and via email at electionprotection@nassauda.org. DA staff will collaborate with the Nassau County Board of Elections, Nassau County Police Department, and the New York State Attorney General’s Office to ensure complaints of voter intimidation, disenfranchisement, or voter fraud are promptly investigated.

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Here are some facts to keep in mind before you go to vote:

  • Voters can check their registration, polling place, and election district online at https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us.
  • While New York voters are not required to present identification in most circumstances, if you registered by mail to vote in New York for the first time and did not verify your identity, you may be asked to provide some form of ID, which can include a New York driver’s license, state ID card, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows your name and address when you registered.
  • If you are registered to vote but your name does not appear in the voter roll in the election district in which you are registered, you are entitled to complete an affidavit or provisional ballot. This ballot will only be counted, however, if you are properly registered in the election district where you cast your affidavit ballot.
  • Registered voters with disabilities can vote with the assistance of a person of their choosing (except employers or labor union representatives), or with the help of two election inspectors, each from a different party.
  • Under New York law, voters are entitled to up to two hours of paid time off in order to vote if their work schedule otherwise prevents them from voting in person while the polls are open. To exercise this right, you must tell your employer that you need time off to vote not more than 10 but not less than two days before the election. You can get more information about this law here.
  • New York law allows domestic violence victims who obtain a court order from NY Supreme Court in the county where they are registered to have their voter registration record kept separate and apart from other registration records and not be made available for inspection or copying by the public. Victims can also be excused from going to obtain a special ballot and avoid going to their polling place to vote.

For any questions regarding voter registration, procedures, polling locations or election regulations, please contact the Nassau County Board of Elections at (516) 571-2411.

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Photo: Shutterstock

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