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August 11, 2009
NYC: Prepare for the 2009 Elections; Visit a Ballot Marking Device (BMD) Learning Center
The Board of Elections in the City of New York will host several Ballot Marking Device (BMD) Learning Centers in August and September 2009. The BMD Learning Centers give the public an opportunity to view and practice using the same type of BMDs that will be available to New Yorkers at their regular polling places during the upcoming 2009 Elections.
"Those who visit a BMD Learning Center will be able to practice using the device at their own pace and staff members will be on hand to offer assistance and answer any questions," stated Commissioner of Elections in the City of New York, Juan Carlos "J.C." Polanco.
The Help America Vote Act of October 2002 requires that voters with disabilities be able to cast a ballot in the same place and manner and with the same degree of privacy as all other voters. The BMD allows all voters, including voters with disabilities, to mark a ballot privately and independently. The BMD does not count votes. It merely marks the voter's selections on a paper ballot to be counted with other paper ballots on Election night. There will be at least one BMD in each poll site for voters who wish to use them during the upcoming Fall 2009 Primary and General Elections.
"We encourage voters to visit a BMD Learning Center in the coming weeks. Practicing with the BMD will help voters feel more comfortable using the device on Election Day," stated Executive Director of the Board of Elections in the City of New York, Marcus Cederqvist.
The BMD Learning Centers will be held at the Board's General Office and in each Borough Office. No appointments are necessary. The schedule and location of each BMD Learning Center is as follows:
BMD Learning Center Locations & Schedule
Board of Elections General Office
Commissioner's Hearing Room
6th Floor
42 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
Regular Schedule:
August 17, 2009 - September 11, 2009
Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 pm.
(Closed Tuesdays)
Extended Hours:
September 3, 2009; 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
September 10, 2009; 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Holiday Closure:
Closed September 7, 2009 in observance of Labor Day
Queens
Board of Elections Borough Office
126-06 Queens Boulevard, 1st Floor
Kew Gardens, NY 11415
August 31, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Brooklyn
Board of Elections Borough Office
345 Adams Street, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
September 1, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Staten Island
Board of Elections Borough Office
1 Edgewater Plaza, 4th Floor
Staten Island, NY 10305
September 2, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Manhattan
Board of Elections Borough Office
200 Varick St., 10th Floor
New York, NY 10014
September 3, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Bronx
Board of Elections Borough Office
1780 Grand Concourse, 5th Floor
Bronx, NY 10457
September 4, 2009
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Posted by Nancy O'Connell at August 11, 2009 03:19 PM