Good Government groups in New York are trying to get out in front of the fears voters might have in the coming election. They’re concerned people won’t trust the outcomes or show up to vote.
The questioning of an Onondaga County poll worker by federal officials back in June raised concerns about federal agents at polling places.
“There are very strong federal laws that prohibit any armed federal agents anywhere near elections, polling places where elections are being held,” said Wendy Weiser, Vice President of Democracy at New York’s Brennen Center for Justice. “There are strong federal laws that prohibit the military or any troops from doing anything that would interfere in elections, even from afar.”
Some worry federal troop presence would discourage many voters. Election law gives the administration of elections to the states, and in New York the responsibility is extended to counties.
"People really need to understand, and candidates can help people understand, that the federal government has no role in our elections. So, the people running our elections are not some bureaucrat from Washington or some Democrat or Republican who wants something special from a national party,” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York.
Lerner said candidates at all levels could help restore trust in both voting and in the outcome, “to any candidate who says 'I'm only going to accept the results if I think they're fair,' knock it off. Just knock it off, bud. That is not helpful.” She emphasized that elections at the polling place and counting level are bipartisan in every step.
Weiser said she wants to avoid past mis- and dis-information efforts that disrupted the process and peoples’ livelihoods
“The fear is that these efforts will be used as predicates to try to justify broader interference or going after election officials and (to) try to disrupt the counting process. There are plans to prevent that from happening, but people should be alerted to that possibility so that they don't feel like that is warranted and don't tolerate that kind of abuse if anybody tries it,” Weiser said.
Weiser added more than 99% of votes have a paper trail to aid recounts and discredit claims of fraud.
Their advice to voters: learn about the process; make voting a social activity with others; and consider voting early, taking advantage of early voting dates in person, or using mail-in ballots at your earliest convenience to avoid counting deadlines.
In Onondagas County, early voting at 10 sites begins October 24 and runs for 9 days.
