Early voting kicks off across the state on Saturday, and voters that live in Troy won’t have to go far this election to turn in their ballots thanks to a new polling site opening at The Atrium.
“This provides so much flexibility to people,” League of Women Voters Rensselaer County Board Member Noreen McKee said. “Working people, families with a lot of obligations.”
This option did not come without a fight.
With the backing of state Attorney General Letitia James, members of the League of Women Voters sued the county, saying the existing locations in Brunswick and Schodack did not meet the needs of people who typically benefit from the option to vote early.
What You Need To Know
- Early voting kicks off across the state Saturday
- Rensselaer County is opening a new polling location for early voting in Troy
- The county was sued for its existing locations in Brunswick and Schodack not meeting the needs of early voters
“The Board of Elections in every county in the state has to take into consideration access to public transportation, population density, commuter traffic patterns, access for the handicap,” explained McKee.
On Friday, final preparations were being made at the site.
“Making sure that the equipment was delivered to the poll site,” said Rensselaer County Board of Elections Commissioner Jadon Schofield. “Calling the poll workers to remind them to be here on time in the morning.”
County leaders are not sure what to expect as far as turnout at the new polling place.
“Last year was the election of all elections. It was the presidential election. People felt very strongly one way or the other,” said Schofield. “We saw 80,000 people in our county vote last year out of a little over 100,000 registered.”
Regardless, activists are busy trying to get out the vote.
“We would argue that local elections are, in some ways, more important than the federal elections because they impact our lives more directly,” McKee said.