New York Times: ‘The State Kind of Dumped This On Us:’ Early Voting Stirs Anxiety in N.Y.

At long last, New York on Saturday will join the 38 other states that already allow some form of early voting. But with the anticipation comes an almost equal dose of concern over an array of possible problems.

Millions of dollars have been spent on new voting technology, necessitating the training of poll workers across the state. Schools that are normally closed on Election Day will be open during early voting, adding layers of security concerns for school officials and parents.

Election officials from Brooklyn to Buffalo have been scrambling to meet the demands of the new law, which calls for nine days of early voting, starting on Saturday and running through Nov. 3. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Good government groups have distributed fliers in libraries, gyms and mailboxes, and have kicked off an advertising campaign in New York City’s subways to trumpet the importance of early voting — “For the first time in history,” one ad reads, “New Yorkers have a choice” — but there is a real possibility that millions of voters may still not know that early voting is happening. …

Technological advances aside, early voter turnout will depend on whether people know that the option now exists in New York. Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York, which has been leading efforts to raise awareness, said that educating a public long accustomed to “16 hours, on the first Tuesday in November” had been a challenge.

“Some people are very aware of it,” she said. For others, Ms. Lerner added, “this is absolutely news to them.”