The New York state Board of Elections sent new letters to the Onondaga County Board of Elections admonishing it for mismanagement and a lack of organization when it came to handling voter registration and absentee ballot forms.

Earlier this month, the state board sent help to the county to help clear a backlog of 23,000 forms after the county missed state deadlines for processing them.

What You Need To Know

  • The state Board of Elections issued letters to the Onondaga County Board of Elections outlining concerns involving a backlog of voter applications and the way it plans to roll out equipment on Election Day

  • In early October, the state had to step in and help the county get caught up on registrations

  • The county commissioners say they are focused on the race and remain confident and dedicated to serving the county in this election

Weeks after helping, the state sent a letter to county commissioners laying out issues they witnessed while aiding the county. The letter outlines inconsistencies in productivity, a lack of helping the opposite party, as well as leadership and management issues, specifically stating that the county commissioners themselves consistently contributed the least.

The state is giving the county until the end of the year to provide a review of its backlog and plans to address the state’s concerns.

"The New York State Board of Elections remains ready to provide continued support as you work to rectify these issues. However, sustained improvement will depend on your office’s willingness to take the necessary actions," the letter reads.

The state also expressed concerns of an Onondaga County plan to allocate printers and tablets used to check in voters. But despite those worries, the county merely needs to file its plan for rolling out that equipment — not receive state approval. The state worreid that the demand for the equipment would "exceed their reasonable, real-world capacties, particularly during peak hours."

“We are relying on your repeated verbal assertions and your written certification on September 3rd, 2024, that your plan will in fact meet that statutory standard," the letter said.

The county commissioners declined requests for an interview, but issued a statement:

"The commissioners are 100 percent focused on the current election being run. We believe we have complied with all request of the State Board of Elections. Our plan for this election surpasses our 2020 plans and exceeds vendor recommendations. We have already seen record number Early Voters with very little wait time when compared to 2020. We remain confident and dedicated to serving Onondaga County in this important election."