People Have Been Reporting Polling Problems on Social Media

Problems at NYC Poll Sites: What Voters Are Saying on Twitter

BY Spectrum News Staff New York City

PUBLISHED 6:52 PM ET Nov. 06, 2018 PUBLISHED November 6, 2018 @6:52 PM

Voters have reported long lines and problems at ballot boxes throughout New York City on this Election Day.

Broken scanners at polling places throughout the city have led to long lines in numerous places.

New Yorkers have reported problems at the polls all day, including broken scanning machines. The result has been some very lengthy lines. #NY1Politics pic.twitter.com/yLc5OFTxwp
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) November 7, 2018

We are seeing lots of reports of broken scanners and long lines at several polling locations, particularly in #Brooklyn at PS 22 and the McGuinness Senior Center. Tag us with what you are seeing using #ny1politics
— Bree Driscoll (@BreeDriscoll) November 6, 2018

1-hour wait(!!) to vote at the mobbed Bk Central Library polling place at noon, a time when voting normally takes about 3 mins. Only 2 scanners here, 1 is broken. @BOENYC pic.twitter.com/A4DJMt4pOh
— Bobby Cuza (@bcuza) November 6, 2018

Voter tells me he abandoned his completed ballot at his Crown Heights polling place (St Marks and Classon) because 3 of the 4 ballot scanners were broken. The line for the one remaining scanner was so long he said it was creating a fire hazard & he had to drop his son w a sitter.
— Grace Rauh (@gracerauh) November 6, 2018

PS9 is packed. Emergency ballot procedures are in place because of broken scanners. pic.twitter.com/iZUgPE5kLW
— Justine Re (@JustineReTV) November 6, 2018

Frustrated voters took to social media to share their tales of polling problems throughout the day.

this is ps333 in Manhattan. No excuse. pic.twitter.com/QGKZp7SyDT
— Eric Kreitzer (@EKreitzer) November 6, 2018

Only 1 working scanner at Brooklyn Prospect Charter school. Rest broken and no one has come to fix them...
— mattpt55 (@mattpt55) November 6, 2018

Some wait times at the polling place depended on where a person's last name landed in the alphabet.

Waited 3 hours in line in Boerum Hill...line for last names A-M was 3 hours. Names N-Z had zero line. HOW does this make sense??
— Jaime Caldwell (@jaimecaldwell) November 6, 2018

Similar issue in Prospect Heights where I waited an hour in the n-z line, but those at the front of the alphabet waited over two hours.
— sean (@s_sullivan) November 6, 2018

NY1 spoke with New York City Board of Elections Executive Director Michael Ryan. He blamed a myriad of factors, including high turnout, two-page ballots and wet ballots.

Why so many problems voting in NYC today? Here are some explanations, from the executive director of the @BOENYC. Wet ballots. The first two page ballot (so double the chance for each voter to jam). High turnout. pic.twitter.com/62QdjsbB2A
— Lindsey Christ (@LindseyChrist) November 6, 2018

Those factors didn't sit well with some New Yorkers.

But we knew the ballot—like the turnout—was expected to be twice as long. There were still only 3 scanners at our polling site and literally hundreds of people. @BOENYC pic.twitter.com/Bb4tImu0JS
— Cristy Dwyer (@CristyDwyer) November 6, 2018

We WANT high turnout - BOE should be ready for a high turn out each and every election day. There will still be lines, but broken machines should not be causing them.
— Tamar Smith (@TamarSmith3) November 6, 2018

None of these are plausible excuses…are these machines just sitting in some closet between elections and not being field tested?
— oinonio (@oinonio) November 6, 2018

All I hear are excuses. Double-sided ballot was a BOE decision. They knew turnout would be high.
— steph (@stephanideluca) November 6, 2018

Some New Yorkers said it is the same story every election.

This kind of stuff happens every single election and every time everyone is aghast and astonished and nothing ever changes. New York elections are not designed for or capable of processing the turnout levels that they love to encourage.
— L-Dot (@PrezCarezz) November 6, 2018

Others said the issues illustrated the need for early voting in the state.

Baloney. How's about more scanners, more polling locaations, more employees on Election Day. What about EARLY VOTING...2nd largest state in the Union doesn't have early voting. How about making Election Day a national holiday?
— Patricia #NetNeutrality* (@perlop) November 7, 2018

Come on! Election Day is alway in November. The technology should be able to handle rain or else update the tech! Also would have less lines if we had EARLY VOTING and MAIL IN VOTING. It’s a shame NY is so behind on this
— Tzivi VOTE VOTE VOTE (@cookiesnomnom) November 6, 2018

That’s absurd. We’re the biggest city in the US and pay obscene $$ in taxes. We should be prepared for ALL scenarios on Election Day.

Better yet, give us early voting.
— libbyNYC (@libbynyc) November 6, 2018