The city Board of Elections is riddled with “widespread mismanagement” and lax record-keeping that jeopardizes its ability to conduct accurate and fair elections, a stinging new report released Thursday by city Comptroller Scott Stringer claims.
The audit, which examined the election agency’s handling of 2019 election, found that the BOE:
- Failed to account for one or more required items from a majority of poll sites.
- Did not staff and equip sampled poll sites properly. Staffing shortages were found at 19 of 25 sampled poll sites.
- Failed to provide required bilingual interpreters in some locations.
- Failed to provide access to records to show that sampled poll workers were properly trained and qualified under State law.
- 21 of 30 sampled poll sites were not accessible to New Yorkers with disabilities or compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Stringer urged the BOE to ensure that each of its borough offices reviews records from the 2019 election to find any missing records.
He also called on the agency to expand its outreach efforts to recruit poll workers and interpreters, ensure that polling locations are accessible to all New Yorkers, and inspect poll books and ballot scanners to guarantee functionality during elections.
“There’s nothing more sacred in our democracy than the right to vote. To protect the franchise, New York City must be a beacon for clean and fair elections,” Stringer said.
“Our investigation found concerning evidence of mismanagement at the New York City Board of Elections, including lax recordkeeping, broken machines, staff shortages, a lack of bilingual interpreters, and inaccessible polling locations for those with limited mobility,” Stringer said.
“These failures are unacceptable — they chip away at the safeguards that should encourage New Yorkers to vote and assure them that their ballots will be secured and counted,” he said.
“My message to the BOE is simple: do your job. The BOE must immediately review its procedures and stop the negligence we uncovered from undermining our democratic process.”
The elections board has also come under fire for ousting Upper East Side Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright from the ballot because she failed to file a coversheet with her paperwork during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Elections declined to address the criticisms.
“The board declines to comment as our efforts and focus are on preparing for and conducting the primary election scheduled for June 23, 2020 during this moment of national crisis,” said BOE spokeswoman Valerie Vazquez.
Elections officials have their hands full trying to conduct elections in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Voters will have the option to vote by mail as well as in person for the June 23 primary elections.