MONTICELLO – Elected officials hate to be the last ones to find out.

“I wish the Board of Elections (BOE) was here, but they’re usually never here,” said District 3 Legislator Brian McPhillips. “We had a polling place close within the Town of Liberty that affected a large group of voters and [Board of Elections] had no discussion with this Legislature…” 

McPhillips said that he learned of the closing of the White Sulphur Springs Firehouse polling station after receiving a message on Facebook and expressed frustration that he didn’t find out directly from the BOE. 

“It’s just not proper, and there are people in my district that are very upset about it,” added McPhillips, who aired his complaint at the Government Services Committee Meeting on April 9.

According to a BOE Notice posted on the Sullivan County Post Facebook Page, the following changes were effective March 15: the Election District 4 Polling Station (formerly at the White Sulphur Springs Firehouse) will be moving 5.2 miles to the Liberty Firehouse 256 Sprague Avenue, Liberty, NY, 12754; the Election District 10 Polling Station (formerly at the White Sulphur Springs Firehouse) will be moving 5.1 miles to the Swan Lake Firehouse, 52 Stanton Corner Rd, Swan Lake, NY, 12783.

When asked by the Democrat why the polling station was closed, BOE Commissioner Deanna Senyk said, “For the past several years we have not permitted food sales from the same space as voting in any of the Polling Sites in the County. There have been multiple instances of electioneering as a result of food sales at the White Sulphur Springs Firehouse over the past few years. Pursuant to NYS Election Law Section 8-104(1), ‘while the polls are open no person shall do any electioneering within the polling place, or in any public street, within a one hundred foot radial measured from the entrances designated by the inspectors of election…’ (a yellow 100-foot marker is placed outside of each Poll Site in Sullivan County on Election Day). Despite our good faith attempts to resolve the issue, the Firehouse refused to comply and proceeded with their food sale last November without any notification to us. As such, the determination was made by the Board of Elections not to designate the White Sulphur Springs Firehouse as a Poll Site.”

Food sales on Election Day are nothing new to Sullivan County. From donut sales to soup sales, luncheons and more, Election Day historically has been a day when community organizations try to raise funds. 

In the hamlet of Callicoon, the Callicoon Kiwanis Club held its annual Election Day Soup Sale, which benefited literacy volunteers. Two years ago, the Kiwanis had to cancel the event because it was held at the polling place for the Town of Delaware at the Delaware Youth Center, Election District 1. 

District 9 Legislator Terry Bernardo, who led the Government Services Meeting, responded to McPhillips’ statement saying, “That’s unfortunate, I will have a chat with the Commissioners and encourage better communication with us.”

District 5 Legislator Cat Scott said, “Maybe we should have a meeting about what the protocol is when a polling place is going to be shut down.”

Scott continued: “I had somebody reach out to me because they were very disturbed about it; and I went over all the reports we did receive over the last two years and nothing was mentioned about shutting down a polling place.” 

Scott said the polling station was very popular and had been for decades, and she expressed concern that the closing would discourage residents from voting.

District 6 Legislator Luis Alvarez also expressed dismay at finding out the news from constituents: “For me it was very tough because I walked into the place I always have breakfast and I got attacked. It was not pleasant to see people asking me for something when I had no idea what was going on.”

The legislators questioned why BOE Commissioners did not report to the legislature directly about the closure, and wondered if they or the New York State BOE had jurisdiction over them. 

Committee Vice Chair Bernardo said she would reach out to the State Board of Elections and have them issue guidance.