Fidler: Board Of Elections Is "Stuck On Stupid"

Fidler went on the attack yesterday, skewering Board of Elections staffers during a hearing to review their performance for the September 13 race. We heard about a lot of confusion from readers at poll sites, especially in Manhattan Beach where registration books went missing for several hours, before showing up around the same time that inspectors did. We also got a number of calls and e-mails from people concerned because they cast two votes – the target of Fidler’s attack. According to City Hall News:

“The process used in the Ninth Congressional District was an unmitigated disaster,” Fidler said. “It was the least democratic process I’ve ever witnessed.” Fidler said that on Election Day, Brooklyn voters in the congressional district had to cast two separate ballots, in two separate rooms, with two separate groups of poll works. One ballot was for the Congressional special election between Bob Turner and David Weprin, and the other ballot was for the primary election in Brooklyn Civil Court races. Fidler said many voters were unaware that they had to vote twice. And not only was the process twice as expensive as it could have been, but Fidler contends it led to a “monumental” under-vote in Brooklyn Civil Court races. Responding to Fidler’s critique that the Board was “stuck on stupid,” BOE general counsel Steve Richman says the process was the only one the city’s electronic voting equipment could handle.

What do you think? Did you have any problems voting on September 13? Did the two ballots confuse you?

[via The Brooklyn Politics]