NY Sets Up Hotline For Voter Language, Access Issues
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The New York state Attorney General's Office plans to operate a hotline during Tuesday's primary elections that voters can call if they're having language or access issues in casting ballots.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said his office will enforce federal and state voting rights laws to help ensure those who speak languages besides English or have disabilities are able to vote.
"Our Election Day hotline will help ensure that all eligible voters across our state are able to exercise their constitutionally-protected right to vote on Election Day," Schneiderman said in a statement.
The office reports fielding hundreds of complaints last Election Day and working with local election officials to help resolve the issues.
Schneiderman's office said it has reached agreements with Schenectady, Sullivan, Ulster, Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam and Chautauqua counties for bilingual ballots and voting materials for Spanish-speaking voters.
Polls in New York City, as well as Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Erie counties, are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. In the rest of the state's counties, polls are open from noon to 9 p.m.
Voters can find their polling place at http://www.elections.ny.gov.
To report a complaint, call 1-800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
