WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES AUGUST 1, 2019 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS
EXPLAINING THE
RECOUNT
As a poll worker for three years, I
think your readers would like some
additional information about the
recount for the Queens DA race, and
how the votes were recounted.
If a voter fails to fill in the circle
next to a candidate’s name or makes
some other mark on the ballot, the
optical scanner does not record
the vote. There is more to it than
that, though. Since I was a scanner
inspector in the election in question,
I can attest to what happens next
with that vote and the ballot
in question.
The voter is given a choice: to
have their ballot accepted by the
voting machine, but their vote is not
counted, or they could return to the
ED (Election District) table they got
it from and be given a new ballot, to
replace the one filled out in error.
As for the first ballot, it would
be labeled as a “voided” ballot and
placed in a separate envelope to be
given to the Board of Elections after
the poll site is closed.
Every scanner inspector has a
specific procedure to go through
when the voting machine does not
accept an offered, filled-out ballot.
Our goal is to make sure every vote
is counted and if that involves the
voter going back for a new ballot,
so be it. We want every regular
ballot to be accepted by the voting
machine, but problems do occur.
Therefore, the ballots the optical
scanner did not record are the ones
either voided by the process above
or it was the voters who decided not
to obtain a new ballot.
I let the voter know what his or
her options were and all of them
decided to go get a new ballot, to
make sure their vote counted in
such a close race.
As for the affidavit ballots, which
are not scanned into the voting
machines, a different procedure is
used to insure that the public’s vote
is counted.
It might be that the voter’s
name was not found in the voter
registration lists, given that they
were dropped from the roll for
some reason, or that they came to
the wrong poll site. Whatever the
reason, the voters are given the
option of marking an affidavit ballot
so that their vote might be counted.
Whether it is or not is determined
by the Board of Elections and that is
happening right now.
The problem is, the Affidavit
Oath, which is filled out by the voter,
on an Affidavit Ballot Envelope, is a
longer process than voting.
That process involves filling out
several sections on that envelope,
for the person’s name, address,
birth date, why an affidavit ballot
was necessary, voting history, a
way to identify the voter and which
political party they belong to. It
takes way longer to fill out that
Affidavit Oath than it does to mark
the ballot and mistakes do happen.
Given that this was a primary
election for Democratic voters
to choose the candidate on the
Democratic line in November,
making sure all the voters were
Democrats is important.
It’s no wonder that it took so long
to make sure every legitimate vote
was counted.
SM Sobelsohn, Kew Gardens
THE RISING COST
OF DRUGS
I am very troubled over the rise
of drug prices by pharmaceutical
companies. More than 3,400 drugs
have reportedly boosted prices in
the first six months of 2019.
The average price hike is said to
be 10 percent, which is five times the
rate of inflation. Another 41 drugs
have reportedly boosted their prices
by 100 percent.
I can attest to that. I’m 70 years old
and my wife and myself are both on
Social Security and Medicare plus
supplemental insurance. And yet we
struggle with drug price increases.
I’m working part-time to pay for
some of these higher costs for my
wife and myself.
The other day I put in a
prescription for medication which
I have paid for about $15 to $18 over
the last few years. Now I am told it
is now $30. Well, that’s about 100
percent increase in my co-pay.
I thought Congress was to address
this problem for the millions of
Americans paying excessive prices
for their medication. What’s that
all about? It has come down to this:
paying for medication or buying
food, paying rent or paying the
mortgage.
This is a most sad situation.
Something needs to be done
and now!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks
Village
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OP-ED
Let police offi cers police
BY ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE MILLER
What happened recently with
our brave police offi cers in
Manhattan, who risk their
lives every day, was unspeakable. No
offi cer should have a bucket of water
thrown at them or be disrespected in
any manner whatsoever on the job.
We live in the
biggest, safest city
in the world and
the NYPD protects
us from day-to-day
harms. What if the
buckets of water
were not fi lled with
water? What if it was
harmful liquid, like
bleach or acid?
One may argue
that the officers
took the high road
with not reacting
to the men who
splashed them with
water. This could
have escalated the
situation.
One can also
argue that the
individuals should
have been arrested
immediately. For me,
it was shocking and
angry to watch. I was
appalled by this inexcusable behavior.
One point we can take away from
this horrific incident is that there
is more work to be done connecting
communities and police offi cers.
The Neighborhood Coordinating
Offi cer program links the community
with their local police offi cers. In my
Assembly District, the NCO program
has been a huge success. I even held
a one-year anniversary celebration
for the 102nd Precinct NCO program
with all the great work they have done
building the bridges between residents
the 38th Assembly District, which
includes all or parts of Glendale, Ozone
Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and
Woodhaven.
SNAPS
and offi cers.
Unfortunately, this
is not the reality for
every precinct in the
city.
Mayor de Blasio
needs to allow police
offi cers to do their jobs.
Why did these police
offi cers feel inclined
to walk away from the
individuals who were
harassing and taunting
them and not make an
arrest?
The mayor needs
to stand with police
offi cers and make them
feel empowered to do
the job that they are
trained to do: to protect
and enforce the law.
Take the handcuff s off
the police offi cers and
let them do their jobs.
Miller represents
COMMUTING IN WOODSIDE
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