While last week’s storm knocked out power all over the county, just one polling location will not be open as scheduled for election day Tuesday, as of Sunday night.
According to a note posted on the Rockland County Board of Elections website Sunday at 3:30 p.m., those scheduled to vote at the Woodglen Elementary School in New City polling station will instead be relocated to New City Elementary School. The election districts affected by the change at Clarkstown 40, 53, 60 and 69. In Clarkstown, even though schools will be closed Tuesday, polling stations besides Woodglen will be open.
The post also notes that polling locations don’t need electricity for people to vote. If that’s the case, people will be given paper ballots to sign, which they will place in an emergency ballot box to be counted later in a bipartisan manner.
“In other words this is the same manner of voting as always utilized if there is a machine breakdown and the machine cannot be fixed immediately,” the board of elections’ note says. “Some voters feel uncomfortable with this process but everything is done in a bipartisan manner and the ballots are secured at all times.”
During her daily question and answer session in front of Village Hall, Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White said the village is still looking into what to do about certain polling stations, should power not be restored by Tuesday. She said it could be an issue letting so many people into buildings with no power, but reassured residents they will still be able to vote.
“Elections are going to happen,” Laird-White said. “Everybody has to vote on Tuesday.”
There’s one polling location in Piermont, one of the harder hit areas in the county, and that station will be open as scheduled Tuesday. The St. John’s Church polling station is open to residents of Piermont, Grandview and Upper Nyack.
For those looking to get to the polls, but without a car or gas to get there, both political parties are offering rides all day Tuesday throughout the county. Rockland County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky and Rockland County Republic Committee Chairman Vincent Reda both said their parties will be offering rides Tuesday for residents, as they do each election day.
Stavisky said the democrats usually dive five or six people to the polls each year, but they’re expecting larger numbers this year because of the storm. She added they’ve already heard from multiple volunteers willing to drive to anywhere in the county to pick up those looking to vote.
Reda said they usually drive a handful to the polls each election day as well, noting it’s usually seniors who ask for the rides. He also said when the weather is bad they usually have more people looking for rides.
Anyone looking for a ride from the democrats is asked to call 917-312-8939 and anyone looking for a ride from the republicans is asked to call 845-634-7100. Of course, both sides said they’ll give rides to anyone regardless of political affiliation.
“We don’t ask them who they’re voting for,” Stavisky said.
