Zecca, Vescera Address NYS Board of Elections

Utica, NY (WIBX) - According to two Utica councilmen, New York State's Board of Elections is discriminating against certain voting groups.

Councilmen Frank Vescera and Jim Zecca were at Utica's Union Station to address voting practices that alienate elderly, handicapped and active military voters.

Zecca says absentee ballots sent to these groups contain primaries for state committee positions, but none for ward, town and county committees.

"They pick and choose which races will allow absentee ballots and those that will not," Zecca said. "That's appalling. This is a democracy, there is no good reason that we can find anywhere that this practice should continue."

Craig Hook, who is running for the city's Democratic Committee, says his race could be affected by the number of votes lost.

"In my building alone, you're talking probably anywhere between 150 and 200 people, so that's quite a bit," Hook said. "Now you add the rest of the population of the city that might be elderly, handicapped, ex-military or present military, you're talking thousands of people."

Zecca and Vescera are asking Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, and State Senator Joe Griffo, to introduce legislation to change the law. A petition is also circulating to gather voter input.

New York ranks 47th in the country in voter registration, with less than two-thirds of residents registered.