Attorney General James Announces Election Protection Hotline Ahead of Early Voting Period
AG’s Office Will Troubleshoot Voting Issues During Early Voting and on Election Day
Voters Experiencing Problems Can Call 1-800-771-7755,
Submit Complaints Online, or Email election.hotline@ag.ny.gov
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will make its Election Protection Hotline available for the upcoming June 22, 2021 election and during New York’s early voting period, which runs from Saturday, June 12 to Sunday, June 20. The hotline will be available to troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters, including voting by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 crisis or in-person at their polling place. Voters that experience problems can report issues to the OAG by calling 1-800-771-7755, submitting complaints online, or emailing election.hotline@ag.ny.gov. The OAG also created a guide to address frequently asked questions to assist voters.
“New Yorkers should be able to exercise their right to vote with confidence and ease," said Attorney General James. “As some states move to limit voting rights, we are doubling down on voter protection and support. This hotline will address any challenges voters face across the state and provide guidance for those casting a ballot. My office is committed to ensuring New Yorkers are able to vote safely and effectively and will do everything in its power to protect fair and equal elections.”
Attorney General James urges voters experiencing problems to call the OAG’s Hotline at 1-800-771-7755, submit complaints online, or email election.hotline@ag.ny.gov to request election-related assistance in advance of the election. The hotline and digital forms are accessible in multiple languages. The hotline will open on Saturday, June 12, 2021 and will run between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM through Sunday, June 20, 2021 for the entire early voting period, and between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 (Election Day). Written requests for election-related assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form. Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by attorneys and staff in the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau.
The OAG has operated the voter access hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, the OAG fielded hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues.
Attorney General James reminds all registered voters that they have the right to accessible elections. In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person.
The OAG will receive and respond to election complaints relating to any of the statutes that the OAG enforces. The Attorney General’s Election Day Hotline is being coordinated by Assistant Attorneys General Conor Duffy, Nancy Trasande, Lindsay McKenzie, and Volunteer Assistant Attorney General Hannah Bernard of the Civil Rights Bureau. The Civil Rights Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Jessica Clarke, and is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice Meghan Faux and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
