Friday, October 30, 2020

Roosevelt Island And Upper East Side Get Additional Early Voting Location For This Saturday And Sunday At Marymount College To Alleviate Very Long Lines And Waiting Time At Robert Wagner School Thanks To Efforts Of NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

After today, there are 2 more days of NY State early voting, Saturday October 31 and Sunday November 1. Hours are 7 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 7 AM to 4 PM on Sunday.

There is no early voting polling station on Roosevelt Island. This week the Robert Wagner Middle School at 225 East 75th Street was the only early voting period polling location for Roosevelt Island.

 Voters reported long lines and waiting times at Robert Wagner School


But good news for Roosevelt Island early voters. Roosevelt Island and Upper East Side NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright got an additional early voting site for this weekend at Marymount College (221 East 71 Street).
According to press release from Ms Seawright:

... Marymount Manhattan College will be available as an alternate early voting pollsite for Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, according to an agreement she successfully obtained from the New York City Board of Elections. 

Seawright had previously contacted Marymount Manhattan College President Dr. Kerry Walk in order to help relieve the persistently long lines at Robert F. Wagner Middle School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Assembly Member Seawright had previously announced her intention to pursue legal action in the event that the New York City Board of Elections did not address what she described as “the horrendous treatment of the disabled, senior citizens, and working men and women-- voters who have stood in line for several hours to cast their ballots, including in the rain. The voters of the Upper East Side, Yorkville, and Roosevelt Island are grateful to Marymount Manhattan College for stepping up in this time of crisis. We simply cannot tolerate voter suppression of any kind and this action is exactly what is needed.

Roosevelt Island needs an early voting site here for our many elderly and disabled residents. 

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Shelton Haynes responding to an inquiry by a resident asking for an early voting site on Roosevelt Island answered: 

As an update, Judy Berdy introduced me to the Manhattan Deputy Chief Clerk from the Borough Administration’s  office in mid-September. We then arranged for their staff to tour Sportspark as a potential early voting location from October 23rd to November 3rd. Sportspark met all of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)requirements and was a large enough space but unfortunately they elected to not use this facility.

Next election, let's get an early voting location on Roosevelt Island.

UPDATE 8;20 PM - 

Ms Seawright is interviewed on the additional Marymount College voting location.

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