genesee county board of elections

Tuesday began early for Democratic Election Commissioner Lorie Longhany, who got up around 3 a.m. in anticipation of a busy Election Day, she says.

Longhany monitored the voting process and supervised 60 election workers throughout Genesee County. At just a few minutes before midnight, votes were still being tallied as exhausted workers looked forward to the end.

“For us, we’re very glad it is almost over,” Longhany said at 11:50 p.m. “Our staff worked very hard, especially the last month preparing for early voting and immediately rolling into Election Day.”

Presidential elections always draw the most people out to the polls, officials have said, and numbers have backed up that belief with early voting and on Election Day for candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

For nine days preceding the big day, there was early voting, which brought in a total of 7,233 people to cast their votes for local and national races. The first day of early voting drew a record-breaking number of 1,143 people to the ARC in Batavia, she said, and there were more than 22,000 votes cast on Election Day in Genesee County. There are 37,670 active registered voters in Genesee County, putting voter turnout at 77.6%

True to this county's deep Republican roots, the numbers panned out accordingly for the presidential, congressional, and Byron clerk and town council races.

Joseph Graff was the lone candidate running for Genesee County Sheriff on the Republican and Conservative tickets and is the Sheriff-elect to fill a vacancy left by Sheriff William Sheron, who will be retiring from the position at the end of this year. Graff received 22,300 votes, and there were 91 write-ins. 

Kevin Andrews, who ran unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines to fill the spot left by former treasurer Scott German, who is also retiring at year's end, will be the Genesee County treasurer. Andrews received 21,939 votes, and there were 59 write-ins. 

German will take up a new role in January as the Republican election commissioner to fill a gap left by the retiring Richard Siebert. However, this was an appointed position by the county Legislature and not on the ballot.

David Wagenhauser, a Democratic challenger to incumbent Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for the NY-24 territory, lost by a vote of 7,531 to 18,921.

Donald Trump came out ahead of Kamala Harris for president of the United States with double the votes, 18,580 to 9,098, and 241 write-in votes. 

Despite the high number of people processed, everything went well, from setup to the final day for voting, Longhany said. Voters were pleasant, and poll workers and techs did “an outstanding job.”

She said there were no issues with voters on Tuesday, and all poll sites had steady traffic throughout the day. They kept coming to cast their decisions right up to closing time at 9 p.m. Final, unofficial numbers were posted online at the Board of Elections by 2 a.m.

There may not have been hiccups on the first day of early voting, but there were plenty of smiles for at least one voter who was glad she did her patriotic duty Saturday.

Tonya Gray, proudly displaying an “I Voted” sticker on her forehead, was practically giddy as she came out of the ARC Community Center building on Woodrow Road Saturday in Batavia after casting her votes in this year’s election.

“It’s the first time I ever voted early,” said Gray of Batavia. “It just made me feel good to get it off my chest. There’s so much going on in the world, so much madness. I’m able to have a voice, I feel so good. I feel chipper and I voted. And I’m going to spread the word and tell others to vote early — today.”

She planned to corral some friends or family to get off the couch and go vote instead of sitting around and letting time waste, she said. Gray later added that “tomorrow isn’t promised to us,” so go vote while you can.

Apparently she wasn’t alone in her enthusiasm to get it done on the first of nine early voting days. There were 1,143 voters that showed up to ARC Saturday, Democratic Election Commissioner Lorie Longhany said.

“We processed more early voters today than we ever have in one day,” she said.

As far as the process and people, things couldn’t have gone better, Longhany said.

“There were no hiccups,” she said. “Setup went without a hitch. Voters were pleasant, poll workers and techs did an outstanding job. Everything ran perfectly today. Very proud of the staff.”

She checked in at the polling site earlier in the day and was also at the Board of Elections, where people could register to vote. Some registrations came from portals and some from walk-ins, for a total of about 50 for the day, she said.

Alicia Catlin was the election technician for polling, and will be one of three for the nine-day duration. There were 10 inspectors and three coordinators also working with her Saturday, she said.

With about 90 minutes to go, they had clocked “just over 1,000 so far,” she said. 

“It has been crazy,” Catlin said. “We had a line at 8:30 this morning. I’m happy, I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed.”

The place seemed like a well-oiled machine just past 3:15 p.m., as people still trickled in, checking in, getting their voting forms, taking a seat at the privacy voting tables and then submitting their own forms through the scanner. 

County officials have said that presidential elections draw the most people out to vote, and this year is to be no exception. It has been a hotly contested race between non-incumbents Donald Trump and J.D. Vance on the Republican and Conservative tickets and Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on the Democratic and Working Families lines vying for president of the United States.

Patrick and Karen Herron of Le Roy were satisfied with how well it was operated, and glad they got their voting over with.

“It’s great, especially for people that work. And that was easy,” Karen Herron said. “It seems that it was pretty regulated. This is a very important election.”

Her husband Patrick said it was a first time for them early voting, and he did so because that’s what the Republican Party had asked of its members. 

“And anyone that can vote should do so,” he said, listing some concerns of immigration, the high cost of goods, and turmoil in the Middle East. “There’s a lot of chaos that shouldn’t be.”

Early voting continues at the ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia with the following schedule:

• Monday, Oct. 28: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 29: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Wednesday, Oct. 30: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Thursday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Friday, Nov. 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Saturday, Nov. 2: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Sunday, Nov. 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

For additional information about this year’s election, sample ballots and Election Day, go to the Board of Elections. 

With nine days of early voting in Genesee County, rounding up enough workers for those full shifts, plus Election Day, might seem a daunting task. 

Not when candidates are running for president, Democratic Election Commissioner Lorie Longhany says. Those elections have the highest turnouts of any of them.

"People like to work presidential elections, really, they do. They like to see everyone as they come in,” Longhany said Thursday. “So far so good, and I’m knocking on wood. We’re training next week.”

There are approximately 60 new election workers for this year’s big event, she said, with candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance on the Republican and Conservative tickets and Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on the Democratic and Working Families lines vying for president of the United States. 

Pay for those workers in Genesee County is pretty good compared to some other counties, she said. For example, on Election Day, coordinators receive $290 and inspectors get $215. For early voting days, coordinators will receive $157.50 and inspectors will get $121.50, she said. 

Other races include David Wagenhauser, on the Democratic ticket, who has made it known locally that he is challenging incumbent Claudia Tenney, Republican/Conservative, for the 24th District Congressional seat. 

Joseph Graff is running unopposed for Genesee County sheriff.

For sample ballots, go HERE. 

There is also a statewide proposal to amend Section 11 of Article 1 of the Constitution regarding equal protection: 

“§ 11. a. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed [or], religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in [his or her] their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state, pursuant to law.

b. Nothing in this section shall invalidate or prevent the adoption of any law, regulation, program, or practice that is designed to prevent or dismantle discrimination on the basis of a characteristic listed in this section, nor shall any characteristic listed in this section be interpreted to interfere with, limit, or deny the civil rights of any person based upon any other characteristic identified in this section.

Explanation – Matter in bold is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted.

For more about the proposal, go to Prop 1. 

The Genesee County Board of Elections has announced its Early Voting schedule and important deadlines for the upcoming General Election, as noted below. Early Voting will be available for nine days from Oct. 26 through Nov. 3 at the ARC Community Center at 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia.

The schedule is as follows:

• Saturday, Oct. 26: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 28: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 29: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Wednesday, Oct. 30: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Thursday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Friday, Nov. 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Saturday, Nov. 2: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Sunday, Nov. 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

All polling sites will be open on Election Day, November 5, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. All sites are accessible. Voters can check their poll site by visiting the New York State Voter Lookup or by calling the Genesee County Board of Elections at (585) 815-7804.

Absentee Ballot Information: 

To request an absentee ballot, contact the Board of Elections or use the NY State Absentee Ballot Portal. Key absentee ballot deadlines are as follows:

• October 26: Last day for the Board of Elections to receive an absentee ballot application.

• November 4: Last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot.

• November 5: Last day to postmark a ballot (must be received by November 12).

• November 5: Absentee ballots must be received at the poll site or Board of Elections no later than 9 p.m.

• November 18: Military/Special Federal absentee ballots must be received by this date.

Voter Registration Deadlines:

• October 26: Last day to submit a voter registration application to be eligible to vote in the General Election.

In-Person Registration: 

Voters may register at the Genesee County Board of Elections or any participating state agency under the National Voter Registration Act on any business day. To be eligible for the General Election, the application must be received no later than October 26, 2024.

Change of Address Deadline:

• October 21: Changes of address must be submitted by this date.

Poll Site Change: Please note that the Bergen poll site has been moved from the Bergen Town Courtroom to the Gillam Grant Community Center, located at 6966 W. Bergen Road, Bergen.

For any questions, requests for registration forms, or absentee ballot applications, contact the Genesee County Board of Elections at 585-815-7804 or visit the website at Genesee County Board of Elections.

Retired Genesee County Treasurer Scott German won’t be idle for long, since being elected as chairman of the county Republican Committee in October 2023, and appointed as Republican election commissioner Wednesday during the Ways & Means Committee meeting.

German was elected to the Republican Committee to fill the role after Richard Siebert opted not to seek re-election, and then was appointed to the election commissioner role due to Siebert’s impending retirement from the position, effective at the end of this year. 

“I’m honored to be elected, and I’m looking forward to getting the department compliant with the IRS regulations (for Election Day workers), as they’ve not been compliant for at least five or six years. I’m looking forward to getting that done,” he said, answering a legislator’s question about his goals. “It’s hard to know what my goals would be without actually being in the position because it’s new to me. I do know they’re excited, and I’m excited; even the Democratic side is excited. They’ll continue to run it bipartisan. You wouldn’t know if you’re a Republican or a Democrat talking to individuals when they walk in.”

During a budget session with the county Legislature after the meeting, Manager Matt Landers said that the positions of election commissioners German and Democratic Commissioner Lorie Longhany will be made county employees as of the 2025-26 budget. 

He wasn’t certain what their salaries, which will be on a per diem basis, would be, but said that since German has several years accumulated as a former treasurer, he would likely be at Step 16. 

"We have a 20-step process for management, and when we hire managers with indirect experience, but still experience, they're given a half year credit for their years of service. So Scott has got like 31 years or 33 years, so he's going to come in at like step 16," Landers said. "So I'm not sure what step Dick was at, Scott's coming at step 16, and then, because the R's and the D's have to get paid identical, Lorie actually moves up a little bit because of that, because we can't pay him more than her. That's just the way the laws and the rules are."

In the department’s annual review, “we wish longtime Commissioner Siebert all the best in his upcoming retirement from the board,” Longhany said. She, German and two deputies will review ideas and collaborations to ensure that “operations are run effectively and all staffing needs are met moving forward,” she said.

Election year 2024 has been busy, with three elections on the calendar, including the presidential primary in April, even though the presidential nominee had already won by the time the New York primary rolled around, she said, presenting the report on behalf of her and Siebert.

That produced a “lackluster” turnout of 6% of each the Democratic and Republican voters showing up to vote. The county was still obligated to conduct nine days of early voting with very low turnouts, she said.

June 25 was next with the State and local Primary, with a Republican Primary race for Congress and a local race in the town of Byron. Turnout was 12% of Republican voters.

As older, more obsolete voting machines were being phased out, the county Board of Elections purchased 19 more Dominion ICE machines and upgraded the election reporting system. New software had been very well received by staff and the IT department and ballot programming for November was completed in just one and a half days versus four to five as in past years, she said.

Perhaps no surprise, elections staff expects a “very robust” turnout this November, of probably 80% of registered voters, “as we do in every presidential year.” 

“Our office is very busy preparing for this election. We have also made safety provisions in our front-facing public office with a minor remodel, changing access points, and giving our staff a dedicated and secure entrance, and the public has their dedicated entrance,” she said. “We also have secured extra patrols around our early voting site and our Election Day poll sites through the county manager's office and the sheriff's department. While we are more confident than not that we will not need the extra security, it is prudent that we prepare for any and all scenarios.”

Looking ahead into 2025, it will be a transition year of local elections, which draw lower turnouts. That in turn makes it a “very good time to restructure operations,” the report states.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Board of Elections is offering residents a local registration opportunity to ensure they are prepared for the upcoming election. On Saturday, October 5, from 2 - 9 p.m., the Board of Elections office in County Building 1 at 15 Main St., Batavia, will be open for residents to register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot.

This extended weekend schedule provides a convenient time for residents to take care of their election-related needs. Please note that only the West Entrance of County Building 1 will be accessible. This entrance is off the central courtyard between County Building One and the Old Courthouse. Look for the “1999” next to the door.

In addition, the Board of Elections would like to inform voters in the Town of Bergen of a change to their polling location. On Election Day, November 5, voters who previously voted at Bergen Town Hall will now cast their ballots at the Gillam Grant Community Center, located at 6966 W. Bergen Rd., Bergen, directly across from the school.

For more information or questions about registration, absentee ballots, or polling locations, please contact the Genesee County Board of Elections at (585) 815-7804.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Board of Elections is thrilled to announce the Second Annual "I Voted" sticker contest winners. The contest, coordinated by the Board of Elections, showcased the creative talent of local students and their involvement in the electoral process. 

The contest received many submissions, with over 300 outstanding entries from Genesee County schools.

'It was a tough decision to select our seven finalists,' said Lorie Longhany, Democratic Election Commissioner. 'We can't wait to see the students' graphic designs in print and used in our outreach efforts!'

The winning designs will be featured on the “I Voted” stickers distributed to voters as they cast their ballots in November. They will also be utilized for voter outreach and promoted across social media platforms.

The winners of the contest are as follows: 

• Grand Prize: Tyler Caldwell, Alexander 
• 1st Place: Riley Sharpe, Byron-Bergen
• 2nd Place (Collaborative Design): Alexander Kuszlyk, Evan Bannister, and Zachary Gay, Byron-Bergen
• 3rd Place: Ben Landers, Notre Dame
• Honorable Mentions: Ava Smith, Byron-Bergen; Morgan Kidder, Alexander; Alarai Tomidy, Notre Dame

The Genesee County Board of Elections extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and extends special thanks to every participant for their exceptional contributions.

Submitted photos

Press Release:

The Genesee County Board of Elections announces a change in the party enrollment deadline for the 2024 primary elections, including the April 2, 2024 Presidential Primary. All  applications for party enrollment must be received by the Genesee County Board of Elections no later  than February 14, 2024. Any requests received after this date will be processed on July 5, 2024. 

For those wishing to make changes to their party enrollment, the Genesee County Board of Elections  encourages prompt submission of applications to avoid any processing delays.

Press Release:

As the General Election approaches, the Genesee County Board of Elections is committed to providing comprehensive information on voting, early voting, and registration deadlines. 

Please find the essential details below: 

Early Voting: 

Dates: Oct. 28 - Nov. 5 

Location: ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Rd., Batavia

Schedule:

• Saturday, Oct. 28: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 29: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 30: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 31: 12 - 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 1: 12 - 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 2: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 3: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 4: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Sunday, No. 5: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

General Election:

Date: Nov. 7

Polling Hours: 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Find Your Poll Site: Visit voterlookup.elections.ny.gov or call (585) 815-7804.

Absentee Ballot Information:

Call (585) 815-7804 or use the NYS Portal at absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov 

Key Dates:

• Oct. 23: Last day for the Board of Elections to receive an absentee ballot application and the last day for change of address to be received.
• Nov. 6: Last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person. The ballot must be received at the poll site or Board of Elections by 9 p.m. on Nov. 7.
• Nov. 7: Last day to postmark your ballot. The Board of Elections must receive it by Nov. 14. Military/Special Federal absentee ballots must be received by Nov. 20.

Registration Deadlines:

• Oct. 28: Last day to register to be eligible to vote in the 2023 General Election and the last day for the Board of Elections to receive a registration form. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Find registration forms at the Genesee County Board of Elections website. For questions or assistance, call the Genesee County Board of Elections at (585) 815-7804 or visit the Genesee County Board of Elections website.

Municipalities in Genesee County racked up $40,505 in expenses to conduct the Nov. 2 general election, according to information provided by the county’s Real Property Tax Services department.

Per diem fees for training, inspectors and coordinators elections are covered by Genesee County with the expectation that it will be reimbursed after the exact amounts are determined.

According to a resolution passed on Wednesday by the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee (and subject to approval by the full legislature next week), the towns and City of Batavia are responsible for the following charges:

• City of Batavia, $11,070;
• Alabama, $1,615;
• Alexander, $1,790;
• Batavia, $3,770;
• Bergen, $1,860;
• Bethany, $1,220;
• Byron, $1,650;
• Darien, $1,685;
• Elba, $1,685;
• Le Roy, $4,335;
• Oakfield, $1,830;
• Pavilion, $1,720;
• Pembroke, $4,230;
• Stafford, $2,045.

Additionally, $5,781 in fees for the 2021 early voting period (Oct. 23-31) will be charged back to the City of Batavia and towns as follows:

• City of Batavia, $1,331;
• Alabama, $173;
• Alexander, $231;
• Batavia, $636;
• Bergen, $348;
• Bethany, $173;
• Byron, $231;
• Darien, $347;
• Elba, $231;
• Le Roy, $809;
• Oakfield, $289;
• Pavilion, $231;
• Pembroke, $462;
• Stafford, $289

Ways & Means approved resolutions authorizing the Board of Elections to contract with NTS Data Services of Niagara Falls to provide poll book, team registration and full document imaging for 2022 at a cost of $34,809 and for cybersecurity for 2022 at a startup cost of $11,509 followed by a payment of $8,809 for software and support services.

After what has been described as a “long hard” Election Day that began around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Board of Elections workers can’t relax just yet, Genesee County Elections Commissioner Lorie Longhany said.

“The write-ins are secured at our facility,” Longhany said today. “We haven’t decided how we’re going to count them. Do we start with the city or towns with more contested races? We have to look at the intent of the voter … the voter gets the vote.”

That’s no small order, with nearly 2,000 write-ins that require manual inspection to determine the voter’s “wishes and intent,” and to ensure there are no glitches on the ballot, Longhany said. For example, if someone wrote a candidate’s name that was already on the ballot, that voids the write-in vote, she said. 

A breakdown of write-ins puts Le Roy at the top with 700, Bethany at 167 for town clerk and four for town justice, Alexander at 141, Oakfield with 137, Stafford 117 and one for Pembroke. Due to the large amount of outstanding write-ins yet to be counted for Le Roy, plus an unknown amount of absentee ballots, town justice candidates Carol DiFrancisco and Tom Feeley declined to make any definitive statement about an outcome. 

“Until the election is officially over, all I would say is that no one should ever think that a single vote does not matter,” DiFrancisco said. “Every LeRoyan deserves to have their vote counted.”

As for those absentee ballots, not even half of the issued ballots have been returned so far, Longhany said. Those ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 2 and will be accepted up to next Tuesday, Nov 9. 

The City of Batavia had 512 absentee ballots issued, with 192 returned; Bergen had 65 issued and 33 returned; Bethany had 19 issued and 12 returned; Byron had 44 issued and 24 returned; Le Roy had 178 issued, 99 returned; Pembroke had 69 issued, 32 returned; and Stafford had 28 and 10, respectively.

Board of Elections staff are to begin processing the absentees on Tuesday, and won’t be done until all ballots have been received by next Tuesday. The postmark will be checked and any envelopes that have Nov. 3 or later will not be counted, Longhany said.

The easier part, though, is to feed those ballots into a machine, which then tabulates a final total for the entire county, she said. 

“It saves us time,” she said. “The machine is very accurate.”

She wasn’t certain when a final, official vote and related voter turnout would be announced, but believes it will be at least a few days beyond the final day to accept ballots. Veterans Day is Nov. 11, which may also slow down the process due to government offices being closed. 

According to the report submitted by Lorie Longhany and Richard Siebert, Democratic and Republican commissioners, respectively:

“With our county judge, district attorney and six legislative seats on the ballot without opposition, it is difficult to achieve voter enthusiasm. There will be some contested races in the City of Batavia (Council at Large) and several of our towns but certainly not countywide.”

Siebert predicts that early voting -- as was the case in June’s primary elections when only six residents voted prior to election day – will not generate much activity.

“Without real opposition and gas prices the way they are, realistically, who’s going to come from Le Roy, who’s going to come from Darien for early voting? It’s just not going to happen,” he said.

Early voting for the Nov. 2 General Election will take place at the ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Rd., Batavia, starting on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Dates and times are as follows:

• Oct. 23-24, noon to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 26-27, noon to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 28-29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 30-31, noon to 5 p.m.

Longhany said that for early voting “the even years are going to be the trouble years, (and) odd years are going to be the easy years.”

Siebert agreed, noting that parking at the ARC location is limited.

Currently, they are looking for another site in the city for 2022 early voting, while advising the committee that they are “aware of legislation which may require our early voting to expand from nine days to 15 days – which we could take advantage of during presidential elections but not local ones as we experienced this past June.”

Longhany said training has been completed for more than 200 poll workers, who will be subject to following the county’s COVID-19 protocol that calls for mask wearing unless proof of vaccination is provided. She said the workers are “very loyal” while Siebert added that they are well paid, receiving $290 for the full election day.

Siebert reported no safety or health issues in June, but acknowledged that the process was “tough for all of us.”

“Everything we do at the Board of Elections is very cyclical,” he said. “Last year we had a presidential election with 75 percent of the vote coming out. It was tough. We had to protect our workers, we had to protect our voters (while abiding by COVID-19 restrictions). We got through it.”

Another issue moving forward, Longhany said, is that the county’s number of permanent absentee voters has increased from 500 to 1,100, which – with the change to “no excuse” absentee ballots -- will create more work for their office.

Key dates for registration are as follows:

• Oct. 8, Mail Registration for General: Last day to postmark application for general election; it must also be received by board of elections by Oct. 13.

• Oct. 8, In-person registration for General: Last day application must be received by board of elections to be eligible to vote in general election. If honorably discharged from the military or have become a naturalized citizen since Oct. 8, you may register in person at the board of elections up until Oct. 23.

• Oct. 13, Changes of address for General received by this date must be processed.

CLICK HERE for a list of county races and candidates.

While having enough space at the ARC of Genesee Community Center in the City of Batavia to hold early voting certainly wasn’t a problem in June of this year, Genesee County Board of Election commissioners are convinced they will have to find a different location for November elections in 2022 and 2024.

Richard Siebert and Lorie Longhany, Republican and Democratic commissioners, respectively, told the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday that they are looking – without much success at this point – for another place in the city with the capacity to conduct early voting when residents come to the polls to elect a governor (2022) and president (2024).

“The ARC won’t be large enough for the gubernatorial and presidential elections,” Longhany said.

The commissioners said they have been inquiring about sites within the city limits – following a requirement that early voting must take place in the municipality with the largest population – but have come up empty.

Should a city location search prove unfruitful, they said they believe they could get permission to have early voting at Genesee County Building 2 on West Main Street Road, which they called “an ideal site.”

Siebert reported that just six people voted in advance during June’s off-year Republican primaries in the towns of Bethany, Byron and Stafford, with all of six of those votes being cast for the Stafford Town Clerk primary.

“And I was one of those six,” he noted.

He said it cost $6,000 over the nine days of early voting (June 12-20) at the ARC Community Center at 38 Woodrow Rd.

Early voting expenses normally are charged back to the participating towns, he said, but a portion of an $18,156.45 grant from the New York State Board of Elections Early Voting Expansion Program could be used in this case. The grant contract runs out on Jan. 28, 2022.

Siebert and Longhany said there has been talk about scaling early voting back to three or four days, but pre-election day activity is expected to pick up considerably during major election years. So, that possibility remains to be seen.

Siebert advised that the grant also can be used to pay the $7,700 maintenance fee (which is tied to information technology) that was charged to the Board of Elections.

Ways & Means Committee members approved the acceptance of the early voting grant as well as another award from the state Board of Elections Technology Innovation and Election Resource grant program for $58,999.06.

This grant runs through Jan. 27, 2023 and would assist the county with the capital purchase of software, technology upgrades, equipment and broadband service.

The commissioners said replacement of electronic voting machines, which are out of warranty, is in their budget for 2022. Each machine costs about $11,000.

In other action, the committee:

• Approved the budget and apportionment of expenses of the Genesee County Self-Insurance Plan for 2022 following a report by Assistant County Manager Tammi Ferringer that the county’s switch to NCAComp Inc. of Buffalo as its third-party claims administrator has put the program on solid footing.

“We’re in much better position. Claims are being paid timely and the injured are experiencing a better result,” Ferringer said, noting that the plan is fully funded.

She said the county has paid out $760,000 in benefits and awards thus far in 2021, with $460,000 in compensation, $186,000 in medical benefits and $114,000 in expenses. That is down from $1.4 million in 2020 and $1 million in 2019.

Ferringer said that rates for all the town, village, county and other entities enrolled in the plan have decreased for 2022, except for fire departments, which increased by an average of approximately 2 to 4 percent. She attributed the fire departments' retail rating increase to 5.2 percent increase in the "loss cost" (an industry rating).

Currently, there are 39 new open claims this year, she said, while 66 have been closed.

• Approved the appointment, effective Sept. 8, of Pamela LaGrou as county privacy officer per provisions of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. LaGrou, who was appointed county compliance officer effective Aug. 16, served as the clerk of the legislature for the past five-plus years. Lisa Casey, former confidential secretary for the City of Batavia, is stepping into that role.

Previously: Low early voting turnout exasperates county legislators

Photo and press release from the Genesee County Board of Elections:

Genesee County Board of Elections is pleased to announce that they will be rolling out their new electronic poll books for the upcoming election, beginning with Early Voting this Saturday, Oct. 24.

The new election management tool allows jurisdictions to see voter turnout in near real-time, monitor the status of the Poll Pads, and remotely lock or disable a Poll Pad if there is a security issue at a polling place.

 All Poll Pads connect to a web-based monitoring platform, via Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity, which is built into the Apple iPad. It never connects to the internet.

Voters will have the ability to check into their polling location just as they always have -- by giving their name and address to the Table Inspectors. The difference is now they will sign the poll pad instead of the big books. Voters will continue to use paper ballots for all voting. 

Most of the counties in New York State have already moved ahead with poll pads and eliminated the wait times and the waste that were caused with the old fashion poll books.

These are simple to use and created with security in mind. Because they do not connect directly to the internet, makes them even more protected.

After a trying, stressful and – ultimately – successful time managing the Primary and Special Elections in June, Genesee County Board of Elections commissioners say they are reenergized and ready to tackle the national Election Day next month.

“We are full staff now and we’re prepared as we can be for the big one,” said Republican Commissioner Richard Siebert on Wednesday afternoon during a departmental review for the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee at the Old County Courthouse.

Siebert and Democratic Commissioner Lorie Longhany recapped their efforts during the June 23 Primary and Special Elections for the 27^th Congressional District prior to outlining plans for the Nov. 3 general election.

Calling it a “year like we have never experienced before,” the officials stated that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing guidelines from Albany made it very difficult for their team of poll workers, inspectors and technicians.

Beyond the state-mandated coronavirus health and safety protocols that were put into place at 24 polling sites, the local election office had to send out 40,000 absentee ballot applications – paying for printing and postage both ways.

“It was a big expense to the county,” Siebert said.

The commissioners reported their deputies “worked tirelessly and seamlessly to navigate through each Executive Order, delegate job duties to various county employees who helped with the large volume of election mail and to run point on every aspect of this most difficult election, including post-election absentee ballot counting.”

Siebert said the technicians charged with preparing the ballots had to program the electronic voting machines for six elections. Unable to meet strict deadlines and without scannable absentee ballots, staff had to hand count approximately 5,000 ballots.

Longhany noted that the teamwork of election workers on both sides of the political aisle and the assistance of Genesee County employees – led by County Manager Matt Landers and Human Resources Director Anita Cleveland – enabled the Board of Election to fulfill its duties and provide all the opportunity to vote without unreasonable wait times.

“We received a great deal of help from around the county,” she said. “It showed how cooperation is the name of the game for us.”

Siebert said the four complaints they received were addressed “and satisfied with explanation,” while Longhany added that an issue at the 400 Towers senior apartment building at East Main and Swan streets has been rectified.

“With the COVID and (having a senior population), they didn’t want us there, but they’ve come back on line with us for the general election,” she said.

Both officials said they are prepared for around an 80-percent turnout of the county’s 37,000 eligible voters for the November election.

They reported that 4,000 absentee ballot requests have been processed thus far, and that training is ongoing for 200 poll workers to use new electronic poll books in addition to their other duties.

Siebert said the electronic poll books are advantageous in that “it will tell us if a person has already voted.”

Additionally, Longhany said the absentee ballots for the coming election will be scannable – enabling workers to count the 6,000 to 7,000 they expect to receive in a timely fashion.

In summary, the commissioners thanked the legislature for its support -- both financially and by providing volunteer hours -- to ensure voters have the opportunity to “exercise their rights and feel confident in the integrity of our system.”

In a related development, the Ways & Means Committee forwarded a pair of resolutions concerning “chargebacks” to the county’s 13 towns and the City of Batavia stemming from costs incurred during elections in 2019.

The first authorizes the county treasurer to bill the municipalities for $7,794 in charges for expenses during the early voting period of Oct. 26-Nov. 5, 2019. Those charges range from $233 in the Town of Bethany to $1,817 in the City of Batavia.

The second allows the county treasurer to bill the towns and city for $54,785 in charges related to training and per diem fees for poll workers, inspectors and coordinators during the local primary (June 25, 2019) and general election (Nov. 5, 2019). Those charges range from $1,470 in the Town of Pavilion to $19,450 in the City of Batavia.

Landers said the county’s real property department will notify all the municipalities of the charges this year with the expectation that the county treasurer will bill and collect what is owed in 2021.

From the Genesee County Board of Elections:

ABSENTEE VOTING, ABSENTEE DROP-BOX OPTIONS, EARLY VOTING & DEADLINES

Absentee Voting Options & Drop-Box Information
Requests for absentee ballots for the General Election can be processed over the phone at (585) 815-7804, besides mailing, emailing us at: election@co.genesee.ny.us or faxing your application to (585) 344-8562.

You have many choices as to how you wish to return your ballot after it is completed.

• You may mail your ballot -- don’t forget to sign the ballot envelope and put a stamp on the outside.
• You may hand deliver your ballot to our office at County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020.
• There will be a designated Board of Elections drop box installed on the south side of County Building 1 (Ellicott Street side), until installation is complete, you may use the secure DMV drop-box on Court Street.
• You may bring your ballot any day of Early Voting where you can drop off your ballot into a designated absentee drop-box. A poll worker will assist you. See the dates and times below.
• You can bring your absentee ballot to any polling place on Election Day where you can drop off your ballot into a designated absentee ballot drop-box. A poll worker will assist you.

Early Voting
The General Election Early Voting begins on Saturday, Oct. 24^thand will run for nine days prior to the General Election. The Early Voting location is at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia NY 14020. The schedule for Early Voting is as follows:

• Oct. 24th   12 - 5 p.m.
• Oct. 25th   12 - 5 p.m.
• Oct. 26th   9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 27th   12 – 8 p.m.
• Oct. 28th   12 – 8 p.m.
• Oct. 29th   9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 30th   9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Oct. 31st   1 – 5 p.m.
• Nov. 1^st      12 – 5 p.m.

Registration and Absentee Application Deadlines
The last day to register in-person at the Board of Elections is Oct. 9th. The last day to post mark a registration form is Oct. 9^thand must be received by Oct. 14^th. The last day to postmark an application for an absentee ballot is Oct. 27^th and the last day to postmark an absentee ballot is Nov. 3^rd (Election Day).

Press release:

As it has always supported the right of people with disabilities to be able to privately cast their votes, the Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies (WNYIL) applauds the success of five disability rights organizations in settling a March 22, 2020 lawsuit with the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) to ensure that people with disabilities have the right to an accessible absentee ballot.

Reached just last week, the agreement requires that eligible individuals must apply to their County Boards of Elections (BOEs) by Tuesday June 16th for a ballot to vote in the June 23^rd Primary Election or a special election being held on June 23 to fill a vacancy in the 27th Congressional District (Counties: Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming, part of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, and Ontario).

Completed ballots would have to be emailed by June 22^nd or delivered to the County BOE in person by June 23^rd.

Here is the process, step-by-step:

1. A voter who is unable to mark a paper ballot because of a disability can request an accessible absentee ballot on-line by using the request form found here (PDF). You may need to download this form to your device and open in Adobe so you can complete and send by email.
2. Again, the voter MUST email their completed request form to their county BOE on or before June 16^th. Voters can sign the request form with text input or e-signature.
3. The county BOE will email the accessible absentee ballot to the voter as soon as possible after it receives the voter’s request form. The county BOE also mails a postage-paid return envelope and oath envelope to the voter.
4. On the electronic ballot, the voter can mark their selections on the computer and print it out at home.
5. The voter MUST sign the oath envelope anywhere on the envelope, then put the ballot in the oath envelope. The voter must put the oath envelope in the larger envelope provided with paid postage by the county BOE. A voter must get the ballot into the mail by June 22, or hand deliver it to the county BOE by June 23.

If you have questions about New York’s new accessible absentee ballot process, contact WNYIL’s Chief Policy Officer, Todd Vaarwerk, at (716) 836-0822, ext. 101, or email him at:   tvaarwerk@wnyil.org. As he is working outside the office, please allow some time for him to respond.

Our congratulations go out to the litigants, which include WNYIL’s sister agency, the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY); Disability Rights New York (DRNY); the American Council of the Blind—New York Inc. (ACB); Disability Rights Advocates (DRA); National Federation of the Blind of New York State Inc. (NFB), and four individual citizens.

The Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies offer an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

From Genesee County Board of Elections, commissioners Richard Siebert and Lorie Longhany:

Reminders*:

• Voters can register for the NY-27 Special Election up until Friday, June 12, at the Board of Elections office at County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia.
• The last day to register in person to vote in the NY-27 Special Election is June 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

​EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING

Early in-person voting for the NY-27 Special Election, the Presidential Primary Election and State Primary Elections begins this Saturday, June 13 and continues for nine days. The early in-person voting location is at County Building 2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

The schedule for early in-person voting is as follows:

June 13 ^--- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 14 ^--- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 15 ^--- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 16 ^--- 12 to 8 p.m.

June 17 --- 12 to 8 p.m.

June 18 ^--- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 19 ^--- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 20 ^--- 12 to 5 p.m.

June 21 ^--- 12 to 5 p.m.

​ABSENTEE BALLOTS

• Written requests for absentee ballots for the NY-27 Special Election, Presidential Primary and State Primary elections must be postmarked by June 16.

• ​You can also request an absentee ballot via email or phone or FAX:  election@co.genesee.ny.us / Phone (585) 815-7804 / FAX (585) 344-8562.

• You can pick up an absentee ballot ​in person no later than June 22 by going to the Board of Elections (County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia).

• ​Any absentee ballot being mailed back to the county Board of Elections must be postmarked no later than June 23.

*(From a previous reminder April 24 to voters from the Genesee County Board of Elections: You can vote absentee instead of going to the polls on June 23rd by going to our website, going to departments and elections where you can print an absentee application. Fill it out checking the box that says temporary illness in the first block of questions and in the second block of questions check Primary Election only. You can also call our office at (585) 815-7804 to request an absentee application. After filling out your absentee application you can either mail it in to the Genesee County Board of Elections, or scan and email your application back into our office for processing. Our email address is:   election@co.genesee.ny.us Visit our Facebook Page for updates at Genesee Co. NY Board of Elections.)                                                                              

With colleges and high schools cut short due to the current public health crisis, it seems reasonable to believe that a large number of young adults may be looking for gainful employment.

Genesee County Board of Election Commissioners Lorie Longhany and Richard Siebert have issued a call for citizens – 18 years of age and up – to serve their communities and earn some spending money at the same time by applying for poll worker positions for the June 23^rd Primary and Special Election.

“Dick and I have found that we’re going to have a need for more poll workers … we are down, right now, 42 poll workers out of approximately 200,” Longhany said at Wednesday afternoon’s Genesee County Legislature Ways & Means Committee meeting via Zoom videoconferencing.

Longhany said workers are needed for eight-hour shifts during the week and for five-hour shifts on the weekend during early voting, and then for a 15- to 16-hour stint on Election Day.

Pay for the Election Day work is set at $215 and other pay rates vary depending upon shift length and duties.

She also said those who apply will be paid $35 for two hours of training, and would be eligible to stay on to work during the November election.

“We’ve had some luck getting some young people to step forward, but not in the numbers that we are going to need. And that’s our dilemma,” Longhany said. “We have an election … on the 23^rd and we need staff to put it on.”

Longhany said that the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting the election office’s operation.

“We are seeing that poll workers just aren’t comfortable going out and sitting during the climate that we’re in with COVID-19,” she said.

Committee Chair Marianne Clattenburg said that was understandable.

“A lot of our poll workers are older citizens and considered vulnerable, and we appreciate the service they have given us all these years, but we totally understand their perspective now,” she said.

Longhany said the plan is to “facilitate the movement of the voters to get to the table to sign in by keeping the six-foot social distancing – passing out the little bottle of sanitizer that our emergency management team is so wonderfully providing for us, and just kind of keep a semblance of order during a time that’s different,” she explained. “We want our poll workers to be safe and we want our voters to be safe.”

The election commissioners asked legislators to allow them to hire more poll workers to keep things running smoothly and ensure that required safety measures are followed, adding that they are reaching out to school teachers, social workers at schools and others to get the word out.

Siebert noted that election expenses are the responsibility of the municipalities that are being served by the county election office.

“We were directed many years ago that all expenses to the towns that we run the election – these poll workers – no matter what our expenses – are charged back, which comes back two years later,” he said. “So, if we have to hire another $4,000 or $5,000 for what the cost would be … that would be a charge back to the City of Batavia and all the 13 towns.”

People interested in applying to be a poll worker or who want more information are asked to call the election office at (585) 815-7804.

Longhany said that 5,339 absentee ballots have been processed thus far, more than twice the normal amount processed during presidential election years.

Polls will be open for early voting at County Building 2 on West Main Street Road in Batavia from: noon to 5 p.m. on June 13-14; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 15; noon to 8 p.m. on June 16-17;9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 18-19; and noon to 5 p.m. on June 20-21.

On June 23, Election Day voting will take place at 23 different polling sites from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the county.

From the Genesee County Board of Elections:

Registration deadline for the Presidential Primary and Primary Election -- May 29 is the last day to postmark an application to register to vote.

With County Building One closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may also use the DMV drop box located on Court Street in the City of Batavia.

Voter registration forms can be found on our website.

Mail registration forms must be received at Board of Elections by June 3.

Registration deadline for the NY-27 Special Election – May 29 is the last day to postmark a registration form.

June 3 is the last day for the Board of Elections to receive a mail registration form.

June 13 is the last day to register in person at the Board of Elections. 

Absentee for the NY-27 Congressional Special Election, Presidential Primary Election and Primary Election – June 16 is the last day to postmark, email or fax application or letter request for a ballot.

June 22 is the last day to apply in person for a ballot.

June 22 is the last day to postmark the ballot and it must be received by Board of Elections no later than June 30.

June 23 is the last day to deliver a ballot in person to the County Board of Elections by 9 p.m.

Last day to submit a change of address to the County Board of Elections is June 3.

From the GC Board of Elections:

As voters are receiving their absentee applications in the mail for the June 23rd Primary and Special Election, there may be some confusion.

Here is a quick guide to help voters make a decision about voting absentee and how to fill out the application or voting in person.

• If you wish to vote absentee, fill out the form you received in the mail by checking "temporary illness or physical disability" in box 1 and checking "Primary Election only" and "Special Election only" in box 2. Fill out the rest of the application and mail it back in the self addressed, prepaid envelope. Your ballot or ballots will be mailed to you after your application has been received and processed.
• The absentee application is only good for the June 23rd Primary and Special Election. It does not cover the General Election in November.
• The polls will be open for early voting at County Building 2 (3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia) with the following days and hours: