NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York State Attorney General Letitia James provided an update to New Yorkers on Monday about the nonpartisan efforts in place to protect voting infrastructure and public safety as early voting continues across the state and Election Day looms.
“While we don’t anticipate any major disruptions on Election Day, we have been working for months to ensure that we can respond to any issues that do arise, and that includes coordinating closely with local authorities to identify and respond quickly to any concerns in their communities,” James said during the press conference.
A multi-agency cooperation between officials on all levels of government will ensure a safe and smooth election process by responding to any election disruptions, which most frequently include downed power lines, interruptions to internet services and weather-related road closures.
Since 2019, the state has invested heavily in modernizing election infrastructure by allocating more than $140 million in state and federal funding to key projects like purchasing equipment and improving security protocols, the governor’s office said.
According to James, there are no active threats or issues regarding the election at this time, but she wants New Yorkers to know that officials are prepared to handle issues and “to ensure New Yorkers have the information and resources they need to vote.”
“We put out a guide to help prevent AI misinformation, and provided tips about how to spot fake content, to report it and to seek accurate information about the elections,” James said.
The attorney general is referring to a guide called “Protecting New York voters from AI-generated election misinformation,” which provides tips on protecting oneself from AI deepfakes or chatbots, which could spread misinformation about elections or be utilized by bad actors to influence elections.
Leaders warn that misinformation can also be spread on social media platforms or between peers.
James also issued guidance to voters ahead of the election to help prevent voter intimidation and to safeguard voters’ rights. Any illegal activity at the polls can be reported by contacting the attorney general’s hotline at (866) 390-2992 or submitting a complaint online.
Elections in New York are administered by bipartisan county or city boards of elections, supported by the bipartisan New York State Board of Elections. The best sources of factual and real-time information regarding elections and voting in New York will come from those sources, officials said.
Hochul reminded New Yorkers that all election night results are unofficial, and there could not be a clear winner until all mail and affidavit ballots are counted and the election certified.
Local law enforcement will coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the New York State Police to ensure public safety is maintained during any post-election demonstrations.
“New York stands ready to manage any election-related protests, demonstrations or whatever in the hours and days following Nov. 5,” Hochul said.