New York City Board of Elections Responds to LDF Concerns
to Correct and Inform Newly Registered Voters of Erroneous Information
The New York Media is Asked to Inform the Public of the Corrective Action and New Voters of their Right to Vote on Election Day

Recently, thousands of new voters across New York City, who met the October 13 deadline for registration, received acknowledgment notices from the New York City Board of Elections (BOE) stating that their voter registration would be effective on November 9th — seven days after the general election date. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) learned of this problem on October 20, while preparing for Election Day activities it is leading in New York as part of the national Election Protection Program (EPP).

LDF attorneys immediately called the BOE hotline number and were told that the error resulted from a “computer glitch.” However, LDF was not able through the hotline to determine the magnitude of the problem or the nature of the corrective steps BOE was taking to ensure that voters who received the incorrect acknowledgment notices would be informed that they were eligible to vote on November 2nd.

LDF Associate Director of Litigation Debo Adegbile then hand delivered a letter to the BOE expressing concern that the error would lead to the disfranchisement of many new voters who may be confused about their eligibility to vote on November 2nd., The letter also sought to determine exactly what steps the BOE was taking to address the problem. Adegbile followed up with calls to BOE Executive Director John Ravitz.

Late yesterday, Ravitz told LDF that the Elections Board had discovered the computer error quickly and that the error in the computer program was immediately corrected. In addition, the BOE took the necessary steps to ensure that the lists of registered voters that are being printed this week for delivery to polling places for the November 2nd election would be accurate and include all of the voters who received the incorrect notices. Ravitz
also told LDF that the BOE was mailing out new acknowledgment notices to all of the individuals who were sent the incorrect information. These new notices include clear and prominently displayed information that the recipient is eligible to vote on November 2nd. According to Ravitz, BOE hotline operators also have received updated information about the problem and should be fully prepared now to respond to inquiries.

“It is essential that the BOE and the media spread the word throughout New York City that notices with the November 9th date are wrong and that individuals who met the registration deadline should receive corrected notices but should go to the polls in any event because their names should be on the lists,” said Adegbile. “The irony is that the cards that came with the erroneous information are not necessary for NYC voters to cast their votes but inaccurate information compounds the initial misperception that the card is required.” Adegbile added, “BOE is taking affirmative steps to correct the mistake but in the interest of protecting New York City’s voters the media must do it’s part in this effort to publicize the problem as broadly as possible.”

LDF, in conjunction with the New York Voting Rights Consortium and the national EPP program, is leading the effort to protect New York voters’ participation in the electoral process. LDF’s New York headquarters is serving as EPP command center for the hotline (1-866-OUR-VOTE ) which will receive all voter calls from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx that seek information and assistance about voter registration issues, polling sites, or any other problems that arise between now and the end of Election Day. In addition to the hotline, EPP will provide poll monitors at selected sites on Election Day to address voter problems and concerns. The BOE has authorized access to polling places for LDF representatives for this purpose.

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