New York set for safe, smooth election, officials say

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) Commissioner Jackie Bray outlined efforts to protect voting rights and ensure public safety as New York heads into the 2024 elections. "Over 705,000 New Yorkers have already voted," Bray said at a Monday morning briefing. "It's going to be a historic year."

With early voting already underway, they emphasized a commitment to confronting misinformation and disinformation. “This work is nonpartisan," Hochul said. "It’s my duty to protect the right of every citizen to safely participate in our elections."

James specifically highlighted an election hotline to report anything suspicious at the polls. "We know that there are those out there who might try to get people to stay home and stay quiet this election. Voter suppression efforts and misinformation are not new," she said. "Individuals use scare tactics, intimidations, and threats to basically deny individuals their fundamental right to vote."

The hotline should stay open through November 6, James said. The number is (866) 390-2992. Or, you can file a complaint on electionhotline.ag.ny.gov. "Your right to vote is Constitutional, and I will not let it be challenged or threatened no matter who you are voting for or how you choose to vote, whether by mail at your early voting site or in person on election day," she said.

Hochul said the state stands ready to tackle any problems that threaten a smooth and secure voting process. New York invested $140 million in state and federal funds to modernize voting infrastructure—including new e-poll books, anti-virus software, and updated measures concerning cybersecurity and artificial intelligence—alongside $11 million more in county-level funds.

The officials reminded voters that results in close races can take a long time to finalize. They also warned against taking information from social media as gospel, urging voters to verify details like polling locations directly with their local County Boards of Elections.

"Misinformation is just inaccurate information," Bray said. "Disinformation is information that's used in a specific effort to mislead. And these are really rumors that get shared online, often, we are finding, from foreign adversaries. One of the things that New Yorkers can do and that I would just ask everyone to do is to not share posts where you don't know where it's coming from."

Regarding post-election safety, Hochul said she told DHSES and the New York State Police to collaborate with local agencies to minimize disruptions from potential power outages, road closures, and peaceful gatherings or protests after the election.

Early voting ends on November 3. The entire briefing from Hochul, including remarks from James and Bray, is available online.