MYFOXNY.COM -
Voting at one pop-up polling site got off to a rough start on Election Day. One of two generators that was to be used to illuminate the tents set up in Rockaway Park, Queens was out before voters even got to the site.
A Fox 5 News truck helped illuminate the tents at P.S. 180 for displaced residents to vote Tuesday morning using paper ballots.
New York City Board of Elections President Maria Guastella was being interviewed during Good Day New York when word came in of the problem.
Earlier in the interview, Guastella said she had not heard of any issues at the temporary voting sites.
"We are working closely with FEMA. They immediately dispatch a team out to make sure all the sites are up and running," Guastella told Good Day New York.
FEMA is responsible for providing the generators, portable bathrooms and gasoline to fill the generators at the voting tents across New York City.
"Please call the complaints in and we will notify FEMA,"said Guastella.
Long lines, confusion, and other problems were also reported at many other polling sites in the city, including ones that had to take on displaced sites.
Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg had a problem, DNAinfo.com reported. The poll worker couldn't find the mayor's name in the voter roll, so she let him find it -- that is a violation of BOE policy.
The number to report a problem at a polling site in New York City is: 212-VOTE-NYC or visit Vote.NYC.NY.US
On Long Island, a Nassau County elections commissioner says there were "hiccups" getting some polling places open in the aftermath of the superstorm.
William Viamont said Tuesday that included some places that initially didn't have generators.
Some places hadn't had machines delivered.
In one case, the poll workers' bus came at 7 a.m. instead of 5 a.m.
Viamont says that by about 8 a.m., most of the problems had been resolved.
On Staten Island, school officials say several residents showed up at an original voting location, the Staten Island Academy.
There was no official signage at the academy saying the polling place had been moved. So the private school made a hand-written sign and placed it outside the driveway.
For anybody who arrived on foot, a city bus was ready to shuttle voters to the correct location.
A voter also complained to Fox 5 News about problems at a Manhattan polling location. They complained that none of the poll workers spoke English and the scene was in chaos.
To find your voting location in NYC, visit Vote.NYC.NY.US
Voters in New Jersey unable to get to the polls because they were displaced by the storm or are working on recovery efforts can vote by fax, email or via a provisional ballot from any polling place in the state.
Those who want to vote by email or fax must waive their right to a private ballot. They can apply for the ballots until 5 p.m. Tuesday and return them until poll-closing time at 8 p.m.
For more information, voters can go to http://www.nj.gov/state/elections
COMPLETE HURRICANE SANDY COVERAGE
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
