There are
62 Boards of Elections in New York State, one in each county and
one for each of the five boroughs of New York City. Each Board has
primary responsibility for the conduct of elections within its jurisdiction.
Their responsibilities include the registration of voters, certification
of candidates for the ballot, maintenance and set-up of voting machines,
appointment and training of Election Inspectors and Voting Machine
Custodians and canvassing and certifying of all election results.
To ensure fairness in the election
system, Board Commissioners and other Board staff are selected
equally from the two major parties, currently Republicans and Democrats.
This is true of both office or "regular" staff and Election Inspectors
and others who work at poll sites on Election Day.
The
Onondaga County Board of Elections is a County Office, responsible
for all Federal, State, County, City and Town elections in Onondaga
County. Under present law, except for the Villages of Camillus and
Manlius, all other village and school elections, as well as fire,
water, and other special district elections, do not fall under the
jurisdiction of the Board of Elections.
The structure, responsibilities and
duties of the Board are set forth in the New York State Election
law.
HELP AMERICA
VOTE ACT OF 2002 (HAVA)
The Help America Vote Act, or HAVA,
was passed by the United States Congress in October 2002 to make
sweeping reforms to the nation's voting process. The Act addresses
improvements to voting systems and voter access that were identified
following the 2000 Presidential Election, and it represents a balanced
and comprehensive approach to election reform. It includes
provisions for replacement of punch card and lever voting systems,
creation of statewide, centralized voter registration databases,
new voter identification requirements, improved access for people
with disabilities, and enhanced voter outreach.
HAVA creates new mandatory
minimum standards for states to follow in several key areas of election
administration. HAVA provides funding to help states meet
these new standards, replace outdated voting systems and improve
election administration. Among its provisions, the statute
also calls for the establishment of a new Federal agency, the Election
Assistance Commission (EAC), to assist states regarding HAVA compliance
and to distribute HAVA funds to the states.
HAVA requires that the
states implement the following new programs and procedures:
• Provisional
Voting
• Voting
Information
• Updated
and Upgraded Voting Equipment
• Statewide
Voter Registration Databases
• Voter
Identification Procedures
• Administrative
Complaint Procedures
HAVA is the first Federal
program of its kind in the history of voting in the United States,
and it is the first time that the Federal government has funded
an election reform effort. It recognizes the significant role
that state and local governments play in running elections, and
through the EAC, seeks to assist these entities make the transition
during this unprecedented reform process.
Click
Here for
POLLING
PLACE LOOK -UP,
REGISTRATION
VERIFICATION AND SAMPLE BALLOT
The
Board of Elections is located on the 15th floor of the
John H. Mulroy Civic Center at 421 Montgomery Street,
Syracuse, New York 13202.
Phone:
315-435-8683 ~ Fax: 315-435-8451.
Please
Contact Us
with any comments or questions
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