First-Time Use of Scanners Helped Manage High Turnout for Bronxville Village Election
By Susan Miele, Staff Reporter
Mar. 28, 2018: Voter turnout for last week’s village election totaled nearly 1,000 residents, considerably higher than in years past, according to Bronxville Village Administrator James Palmer.
Scannable ballots--previously employed for both general and fire elections--were used for the first time in a village election to expedite the tallying process.
In preparation for the election, 750 preprinted ballots were prepared for use in the scanners. This was estimated to be an ample quantity in light of historical voter turnout for village elections, which at times has drawn as few as 100 voters.
However, as a steady flow of voters arrived throughout the day, additional ballots were prepared via photocopy, an alternative method recommended by the Westchester Board of Elections. At no time was there a disruption in the availability of ballots.
By the time the polls closed, more than 950 residents had cast their vote, with an estimated 20% of voters arriving between 6:00 and 8:00 pm, according to Palmer, who directly supervised the polling station from 4:00 am until midnight. While the polls closed at 9:00 pm, the tabulation continued several hours after the last vote was cast.
Scannable ballots allow for automated tallying, whereas photocopied ballots require manual counting; otherwise, photocopied ballots have no disadvantage, according to Palmer. These ballots were stored in a lockbox and counted, along with absentee ballots, once voting ended. The lockbox method was pre-emptively provided by Palmer as a backup, in case scanners should malfunction.
Tabulation falls under the purview of four election inspectors--two Republicans and two Democrats--in the presence of the village administrator.
“I applaud the efforts of the election inspectors for maintaining composure and processing voters as expeditiously as possible,” said Palmer.
Pictured here: A scannable ballot.
Photo by Neely Bower
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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