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In keeping with state mandate, the Board
of Elections is administered by two Commissioners, one Republican,
currently Helen M.Kiggins, and one Democrat, currently Edward F.
Ryan. The Commissioners are recommended by their respective County
Party committees and appointed by the County Legislature.
The Board of Elections is funded by the County
of Onondaga.
The County maintains the cost for all voting machines,
pay for the machine custodians, party representatives, election
inspectors and the rent for all polling places.
The County
Board of Elections determines where polling places will be located,
the training and appointment of all election inspectors. The
County owns approximately 554 lever voting machines.
One polling place may contain
more than one Election District. All 243 polling sites are accessible
to the physically handicapped. Efforts will continue to ensure each
and every polling place is accessible to our handicapped and senior
citizens. Each year polling places are reviewed for comfort, lighting,
safety, and accessibility. Community groups and elected officials
are actively involved in locating better polling places.
An election district is the smallest political unit. In 2005 there
were 464 Election Districts in Onondaga County, 6 of which were
non-working districts.. There is an average registration of 600
voters in each district. In 2005, the smallest district contained
11 voters (City 17-18) and the largest had an enrollment of 1,637
(City 16-01). Normally a district would be split if it contained
more than 1,000 voters. |
New York State Election Law requires four inspectors in each election
district. Election inspectors must be registered to vote in one
of the two major parties and reside within the County in which they
will serve. Appointments for these positions are equally divided
between the major political parties (two Republicans and two Democrats).
The inspectors are recommended by the chair of their political parties.
Inspectors are required
to attend a mandatory training session and pass an examination each
year. Training sessions are required so that the inspectors actually
handle all paperwork used at a polling site and are given a hands
on demonstration of the opening and closing of the voting machine.
The Board of Elections operates Election Central, the election
night reporting system. The system provides the public, candidates,
and the media with quick and accurate results. Using a phone bank
of 50 phones, results are called in by election inspectors after
the polls close. Once phoned in they are given to the county Information
Technology Personnel and entered into the computer system. Results
are available within minutes of the close of polls. In 1999 the
Board of Elections purchased an Optical scanning paper ballot counting
system. This resulted in all absentee ballots remaining secured
at the Board of Elections instead of being sent to individual polling
places.
New York State Election Law requires that candidates
and political committees file detailed financial disclosure statements
of political contributions and expenditures with the Board of Elections.
Effective
1/15/2006, all campaign financial disclosure committees are required
to file financial disclosure statements electronically with the
State Board of Elections. In addition, each committee is responsible
for sending a paper copy of that filing to the County Board of Elections.
Candidates for Federal Offices file with the Federal Election Commission,
Washington, D. C. .
Revised:
February 12, 2008 |
