Politics & Government

Rockland Is Ready For Tuesday's Vote

One polling location moved and five others will operate on generator power with National Guard Troops on site.

 

Most of Rockland County’s polling locations are up and running in preparation for Tuesday’s Presidential Election. Only one polling place out of 80 has been relocated. Voters from New City Election Districts 40, 53, 60 and 69 will not be able to vote at Woodglen Elementary School and will be voting instead at New City Elementary School. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. 

Five polling places will operate on generators unless power is restored before the polls open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.  Those locations are: Link Elementary School, Upper Nyack Elementary School, Liberty Elementary School, the Esplanade Palisades and New Square LP3 Community Room. Rockland County Elections Commissioner Lou Babcock said the National Guard provided the generators and will have troops on site to monitor from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m.

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Babcock said there is still the possibility that power will be restored.

“From what I understand O&R is on site at most of these places,” he said.

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Aside from the power loss, Babcock said none of the polling places were structurally damaged. The biggest inconvenience for voters at the polls using generator power will be the lighting, which may not be as strong as people are used to. It may take people longer to fill out ballots because small LED lights will be attached to the top of each privacy booth.  The generators will also power lighting in the parking lots. 

Babcock said the voting process would be normal.  The machines will be plugged in and will scan ballots automatically.

He hopes people will not be deterred from voting and asks them to be patient.

“We have ordered enough ballots to handle a 75 percent turnout,” explained Babcock. “We can print more if we need to.”


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