Mayor De Blasio Heads Back To A Park Slope Y, This Time To Vote

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Mayor Bill de Blasio's trip to the YMCA in Park Slope looked a little different this week.

The mayor rode from Gracie Mansion to the Park Slope Armory YMCA — not his usual spot, the Prospect Park YMCA — on Tuesday not for a spin on the stationary bike, but to exercise his right to vote.

De Blasio stood in line for three hours to cast his ballot in what was one of many long, near-interminable waits at early polling locations.

"I felt the passion of the people who I was with who care so much they would stand in line no matter what to vote — it was powerful," the mayor said Wednesday.

"The bad news is for all of us is that it was an extraordinarily frustrating experience...There should not have been a situation where New Yorkers are forced to wait hours and hours for early voting."

The mayor has spoken out since early voting began about the need for reforms at the New York city Board of Elections, who manage the sites.

Wednesday he outlined a three-part plan for changing the system, which is controlled by the state, including a constitutional amendment, legislation to "professionalize" the board and a move to a structure more like Campaign Finance Board.

De Blasio's time in line — albeit with more attention, selfies and a few hecklers — was not unlike many of the 457,735 voters who cast their ballots so far at New York City polling locations.

Some New Yorkers have reported waits as long as five hours to vote.

Part of the problem has been voter assignments to small polling sites without regard to their capacity, a Gothamist story revealed. At the Park Slope Armory, more than 60,000 voters were required to cast their early ballots at the polling location, according to Campaign Finance Board numbers.

Officials have also blamed a lack of voting machines and limited hours.

BOE officials voted on Tuesday to extend early voting hours. The updated hours for the remaining days are:

• Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 29 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 30 — 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 1 — 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Click here for more information about early voting.