‘16ELECTION GUIDE VOTING 101 Here’s how to exercise your right to vote free of worry BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@qns.com/@robbpoz Don’t listen to a particular presidential candidate’s claims about the election being “rigged.” Queens voters have the right to vote free of intimidation, and they can be assured that their votes will indeed count. This election will be the first for a whole generation of people, while for others, it may be the first time in years that they’ve gone to a polling place to vote. Even so, here’s what you need to know when heading to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Where and when do I vote? All polling places are open in Queens from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. You may only cast your ballot at your designated polling site. The Board of Elections mailed out reminders to registered voters, but if you are unsure of where you can vote, you can find your local poll site on the board’s website or by calling 866-VOTE-NYC. You can also email your adress to vote@boe.nyc.ny.us, and the board will email your polling place location (write the name of your borough in the subject line). If you are going to be out of town on Election Day, you can cast an absentee ballot at the Board of Elections office anytime on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Election Day. The office will also be open on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 5-6, to accept absentee ballots. The Queens Board of Elections office is located at 118-35 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills. Almost all of the Queens polling sites are ADA-accessible locations. If for any reason your polling site is inaccessible, call the Queens Board of Elections office at 718-730-6730. What do I do when I get there? When you arrive at your polling place, you should go the Election District numbered on your voter registration card. If you don’t know your Election District, ask the election officials on site; they are usually seated near the entrance and have a log book to help you find your Election District (be sure to bring your identification with you). Head over to the officials at your Election District table and tell them your name. They will look it up in their listing of registered voters. Once they find you, sign in and a poll worker will provide you with a voter card, a ballot and a privacy sleeve. They will then direct you to a privacy booth or a ballot marking device where you can cast your vote. The paper ballots are double-sided. Read the directions and, with the pen provided at the booth, fill in the circles of the candidates of your choice. Seek assistance if you have a difficult time reading the ballot, if you do not speak English and require an interpreter or if you have any questions regarding how to vote. Once completed, place the paper ballot in the privacy sleeve, then head over to the scanning booths. A poll worker will take your voter card, but you will need to place your ballot in the scanner. Once the scanner confirms that it has received and counted your vote, you can go. If, for whatever reason, the scanners do not work at the time you vote, you can place the ballot in a secure, emergency box located within the scanner; these ballots will be scanned later by election officials. All ballots will be counted. What are my rights as a voter? As a registered voter, you are entitled to cast a secret ballot, free from coercion or intimidation by election officials or any other person at or near the polling place. There are Democratic and Republican election officials at every polling place to ensure the election is conducted with integrity; there are also police officers on duty to keep things safe. Electioneering near polling sites is illegal; if you see people electioneering, or if you are approached and/or harassed by someone about voting, alert the election officials and police immediately. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from exercising your right to vote as you please! Because this is a federal election, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District will accept complaints about possible violations of federal election law. To file a complaint, call 718-254-6323 or call the FBI’s New York Office at 718-384-1000. If you go to vote and learn that your name is not on the registered voter roll, you have the right to request and cast an affidavit ballot. The ballots will be collected and counted later upon further review.
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