NORWICH – Chenango County elections inspectors have been “double reminded” of their marching orders for operating the county’s new voting machines tomorrow, said Board of Elections Commissioner Harriet Jenkins.
The slight glitch that occurred in the primaries in September shouldn’t happen again.
“It wasn’t even a glitch,” Jenkins explained. “They just forgot to close the machine, which delayed tallying of results.”
Primary day was the first time New York’s new voting system was in use statewide. Rather than use mechanical-lever machines, all voters filled out paper ballots and fed them into scanners. People with disabilities and any other voters can use the machines that mark ballots for them.
Following the primaries, the state comptroller’s office found 44 of 57 county boards of election outside New York City had problems with the new voting system of paper ballots and scanners.
Elections officials at the poll in Otselic failed to complete a process, which kept the machine from producing a memory card, which county elections officials needed.
The Chenango County Board of Elections completed all testing, called docking, two weeks ago. The process took two to three days and involved checking every possible way to mark a ballot to make sure the machine is counting them.
Voting machines, all 30 of them, were delivered last week to 22 polling sites in the county. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 2. (See sidebar for locations.) St. Bartholomew’s Parish on East Main Street is the designated poll for all six wards within the City of Norwich.
The number of registered or active voters is down. The Board of Elections reported 28,641 had registered to vote, 161 less than before last year’s elections. Jenkins said the drop could be attributed to deaths and people moving away.
Local Races
Tomorrow, only voters in the towns of Columbus and Guilford will have a choice of candidates for local government offices. Otherwise, the incumbents whose terms are expiring are running opposed.
At the county level, William C. Craine, R-Sherburne, is on the ballot to become Chenango County treasurer. Craine, who took over from the late Harry Conley as Sherburne’s supervisor last fall, announced his candidacy for the county post upon 22-year-veteran Treasurer William E. Evans’ retirement announcement in June.
In the town of Columbus, Sara L. Paddock of the Independence Party and Pamela J. Weidman, a Democrat, will be on the ballot vying to fill the one-year term left open when George C. Coates resigned last winter.
For Guilford Town Council, current incumbent Republican Michael G. Miles hopes to retain his appointed position. He has competition, however, in Republican Gary W. Schultes, who petitioned to run on an independent line, Dairy Party.
A proposition on the ballot for McDonough residents would increase the terms of office for town supervisor, highway superintendent and clerk from two years to four, effective Jan. 1, 2012. Voters have the choice to vote yes or no for the proposed Local Law No. 2.
All county supervisors will be up for elections in 2011, including Lincklaen Supervisor Wayne Outwater. Lincklaen voters approved four-year terms for town officers in the elections last year.
Polling Locations
Afton - 1,2, Afton Firehouse, 15 Spring St., Afton.
