NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The New York City Board of Elections on Tuesday officially extended Friday, Saturday and Sunday's early voting hours amid long waiting times at many polling places.
Early voting in New York City will now take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31; and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, the board tweeted Tuesday evening.
At a virtual meeting Tuesday afternoon, the BOE's commissioners voted to extend early voting hours on those three days, but said the change would be contingent upon polling sites' ability to handle the extension.
“It is our intention to do it, but we may not have the ability to do it for all sites, but that’s what we’re going to try to do,” BOE Secretary Frederic Umane said.
Hours later, however, the BOE tweeted out the new hours.
Friday's early voting hours were previously 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday’s were 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday’s were 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The change will provide New Yorkers with nine additional early voting hours.
The board's vote came amid long waiting times at New York City's early voting sites. Many New Yorkers stood in line for hours to vote early on the first four days of early voting.