New voting machines to make general election debut in Nassau, Suffolk
Voters will encounter new voting technology in both counties this election season, with touchscreen systems in Suffolk and upgraded ballot scanners in Nassau.
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Early voting begins Saturday in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and voters will see new voting machines when they head to the polls.
In Suffolk County, voters will be using touchscreen voting machines in a general election for the first time. Officials with the bipartisan Suffolk County Board of Elections say the new system is designed to be user-friendly and accessible.
"We have features to make the text size larger, and the contrast for the voter, it is super voter friendly," said Suffolk County Board of Elections Training Supervisor Lanette Rubino.
After checking in, poll workers will verify a voter's identity and provide a ballot access card.
"Put it in like a dollar in a vending machine," said Suffolk County Board of Elections trainer Karla Bryant.
Voters will then make their selections on the touchscreen. Election officials say safeguards are built into the system to help prevent mistakes.
"It won't allow a voter to over select," Rubino said.
"Also, if you missed a contest, there will be an alert that will let you know you missed a contest," Bryant added.
Voters can review and correct any issues before finalizing their ballot. Once selections are complete, the machine generates a paper ballot. Voters can verify their choices on the paper copy before casting their ballot.
In Nassau County, voters will also see new machines, though they are not touchscreen systems. The new equipment is capable of processing larger paper ballots than previous machines, which are needed this year.
“It’s a much longer ballot," said Nassau Board of Elections Commissioner Jim Moriarty.
Changes to state election law that moved most local elections to even-numbered years have resulted in a double-sided ballot in Nassau County for 2026.
"The judges will be on the back of the ballot. All the other office holders will be on the front of the ballot," Moriarty said.
Nassau's two election Commissioners said the format was carefully considered.
"We thought about everything. We have drafts of every single type of ballot that we could do. And we figured the front of the ballot having the competitive races that are normally in Nassau County, as the judicial races tend to be cross endorsed, we move those to the back," said Nassau Board of Elections Commissioner Jim Scheuerman.
Despite the new equipment, election officials say voters should not notice significant changes in the voting process.
"We don't like surprises and having voters surprised on election day. So, this would be the exact same experience for them," Scheuerman said.
"We want this to be as smooth a process as we can possibly make," Moriarty said.
RELATED: Long Islanders can head to the polls tomorrow when early voting begins in New York
