Attorney General James announces 'Election Protection' hotline

AG’s office will troubleshoot voting; voters experiencing problems can call 1-800-771-7755, submit complaints online, or email [email protected]

Attorney General Letitia James announced her office will make its “Election Protection” hotline available for the June 23 election and during New York’s early voting period, which lasts from June 13-21. 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 who experience problems can report issues to the attorney general’s office by calling 1-800-771-7755, submitting complaints online, or emailing [email protected]. The office also created a guide to address frequently asked questions to assist voters.

“No one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote,” James said. “Due to COVID-19, New Yorkers across the state are navigating new changes in how to cast their ballots in upcoming elections. During these unprecedented times, my office will do everything in its power to ensure that New Yorkers are able to exercise their right to vote safely and effectively.”

James urged voters experiencing problems to call the office’s hotline at 1-800-771-7755, submit complaints online, or email [email protected] to request election-related assistance in advance of the election. The hotline and digital forms are accessible in multiple languages. Between Monday, June 15, through Sunday, June 21, the telephone hotline will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and then between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 23. 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 attorney general’s office has operated the voter access hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, the office fielded hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues. In 2017, the attorney general’s office sued and secured a consent decree with the New York City Board of Elections regarding voter registration purges.

The “Election Protection” hotline is part of the office’s ongoing effort to reduce barriers to voting. James reminded 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 office will receive and respond to election complaints relating to any of the statutes it enforces.