FEBRUARY 4, 2008

COUNTY LEGISLATOR MILLER-WILLIAMS ANNOUNCES POLLING PLACE REDUCTIONS IN EFFECT FOR PRIMARY DAY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Erie County Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams (D-3rd District, Buffalo) is announcing that there will be reductions in the number of polling places operating in Erie County on Primary Day, Tuesday, February 5.

Legislator Miller-Williams noted that in an effort to reduce costs of new voting machines to Erie County required under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), as well as to the Erie County Board of Elections and other elections boards, the number of polling places has been reduced for February 5.

"To minimize the financial impact of the costs of these new machines to local governments, the Erie County Board of Elections has decided to reduce the number of polling sites from 406 to 356 sites," Legislator Miller-Williams said. "I want to point out that the federal government provides monies for the purchase of the new machines, but the amount available must be supplemented by local boards once a certified machine is selected. The cost of the handicapped accessible machine is approximately 12 thousand dollars ($12,000) per machine.

"During the last two weeks, voters affected by this reduction should have received a notice from the Board of Elections. If you have not received this change then you should report to your normal polling place to cast your ballot in Tuesday's election," Legislator Miller-Williams continued. "If you have any problems casting your ballot or your polling site is closed when you arrive, please contact the Erie County Board of Elections at 858-8891 or the office of your County Legislator for assistance."

The New York State plan requires that there be handicapped accessible machines in all polling sites by September 2008 and that there be new machines in all polling sites in 2009. This follows a January 2008 federal court ruling mandating New York State implement a plan to be fully in compliance with the requirements of HAVA.

In order to comply with the federal judge's decision, all county Boards of Election must decide upon a certified machine for use statewide this week. HAVA was passed by Congress in 2000 as a result of problems experienced in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.

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