State Attorney General Letitia James has announced that the Office of the Attorney General will make its Election Protection Hotline available for the June 23 primary election and during the early voting period, which runs Saturday through June 21.
The hotline will be available to troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters, including issues voting by mail or in-person at their polling place. A guide addressing frequently asked questions is also currently available to assist voters with the vote-by-mail or early voting process, voter registration, and other issues.
“Our nation was built on the promise of fair and equal elections,” James said. “No one should feel unsafe or intimidated when casting their ballots in this month’s primary elections. My office’s Election Protection Hotline will be available throughout the elections to help voters with any challenges they encounter during the voting process, regardless of whether they choose to vote by mail, during early voting, or on Election Day.”
James urges voters experiencing election-related problems while voting to call the OAG hotline at (866) 390-2992, or submit a complaint online to request assistance. The telephone hotline will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. during early voting (Saturday through June 21), and between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day, June 23.
The hotline will also be available on the days before and after Election Day, June 22 and June 24, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Written requests for assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form. Hotline calls and written requests for assistance are processed by OAG attorneys and staff.
The attorney general’s office has operated its Election Protection Hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, OAG fielded hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues. The OAG has also taken legal action to protect against voter registration purges and to ensure that voters have adequate and equitable access to vote early as required by law.
All registered voters have the right to accessible elections. On Election Day, polls are required to be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and if voters are in line before closing, they must be allowed to vote. In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person.
The attorney general’s office will receive and respond to election complaints relating to any of the statutes it enforces, including the New York Voting Rights Act.