It’s Election Day, and NewsChannel 9 is Your Local Election Headquarters. We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide of important information you should know before heading to the polls.
While 2018 is not a presidential election year, there are many federal, state, and local races. These include all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, one-third of all U.S. senators, and 36 state governors (including New York).
Midterms determine which party—Democratic or Republican—will control each chamber of Congress for the next two years. The party that controls a chamber usually wins that chamber’s legislative votes.
Proposed legislation must pass in the House and the Senate for it to reach the President’s desk.
Before you head to the polls, it’s important to know who’s on the ballot. You can see a full list of local, state and national races here.
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.
Click here to find out your voter registration status and where your polling location is.
APPROPRIATE ATTIRE FOR THE POLLS
The Board of Elections is giving some guidance on what you can and can’t wear to your polling place.
The board says if you’re wearing a political message, you can vote, but immediately after you’ll have to leave the polling place.
If you’re wearing something with a candidates’ name you’ll have to cover it up or take it off before you’ll even get a ballot.
GETTING TO THE POLLS
Ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft are offering deals to riders on Election Day.
Lyft is offering 50 percent off all rides to and from polling places. You can get the code from their BuzzFeed partner.
Lyft will also provide free rides to individuals from underserved communities who have traditionally faced more significant transportation barriers than other populations.
Uber will be offering $10 off a single ride to the polls on Election Day.
To get the deal, enter the Election Day promo code in your app. This code will be made available to users in their app on Election Day.
Request your ride using our polling place locator, right in the Uber app.
AT THE POLLS
If you’ve voted in New York before, you don’t need to provide ID to vote.
If you’re a first-time voter who registered by mail, and didn’t provide a copy of your ID with your registration, you may need to show ID to vote.
Acceptable forms include: a current and valid photo ID; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to vote a affidavit ballot.
IF YOU NEED CHILD CARE SERVICES
To make sure you can get to the polls next Tuesday, the YMCA of Greater Syracuse is stepping in to help with child care.
Free child care is open to anyone in the community on Election Day– and you don’t have to be a member of the Y.
Five branches will offer the service: Fayetteville, Manlius, Liverpool, Baldwinsville and OCC.
The hours will vary at each of the Y locations, so it’s important you call ahead to find out when your local Y will be offering this child care.
You can just drop in with your kids, but make sure you know the hours.
When you do stop with your kids, there is a little paperwork you will have to fill out. It’s especially important if they need to contact you while you’re out voting.
They would like you to try to get to the polls and back in an hour or so.
AFTER VOTING:
The Attorney General urges voters experiencing problems or issues at the polls to call the office’s hotline at 800-771-7755 or email civil.rights@ag.ny.gov at any time between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.on Tuesday.
The hotline will be staffed by attorneys and staff in the Attorney General’s Civil Right’s Bureau.
You can also call the Board of Elections at 1-800-367-8683 to file a complaint.
Head over to LocalSYR.com at 9 p.m. for a two-hour webcast hosted by Dan Cummings. Dan will be discussing the races and highlight moments on candidates’ campaign trail. He will also be announcing results as they come in.
You can click here for live updates with results.
