8 years ago
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Sandy has election officials scrambling
When Superstorm Sandy rocked the Eastern Seaboard earlier this week, uncertainty over Tuesday's election began to creep into the minds of those who have spent months organizing it.
Though polling places up and down the East Coast were still without power Friday, Sandy's impact is most noticeable in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, scene of widespread flooding, power outages and hurricane-force winds.
Elections officials from counties across New Jersey -- especially in the hardest hit areas on the coast and around Manhattan -- are concerned that turnout in Tuesday's presidential election will be affected by the damage.
While many county clerk officials reported lobbies full of people waiting to vote early and take advantage of extended registration windows, polling places across the state have been consolidated -- leading some to worry that confusion could reign Tuesday.
"I think it will affect turnout," said John Currie, a board of elections commissioner in Passaic County. "When people are worried about where they are going to live tomorrow, some people have more important things to think about."
In an effort to give people more time to cast an early, the Secretary of State's office in New Jersey directed all county clerk offices to stay open this Saturday and Sunday.
In Bergen County, 327 locations have been consolidated to make up for those areas that still don't have power. At each displaced polling place, election organizers hope to have officials directing voters to the correct polling place.
The hope is that these officials will ease confusion and help smooth the balloting process.
"People are interested," said Patti DiCostanzo, superintendent of elections in Bergen County. "We are moving forward the best we can and giving the voters every opportunity to vote in this election."
In Sussex County, out of the 76 original locations, 31 have been consolidated and some have been moved to completely new locations.
Marge McCabe, administrator of the Board of Elections in Sussex County, said there will be notices posted at closed locations about where voters should go.
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