City Board of Elections promises no election screwups

The city's board of elections says their new computer counting system will avoid any Bush-Gore limbos this election season.

However, elected officials aren't convinced.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other Council members grilled BOE administrators yesterday during a special hearing on how it handled the June 26 Democratic primary.

The board initially declared U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel as the winner after polls closed, but they rescinded the declaration after updated poll numbers showed he had a 800-vote lead over state Sen. Adriano Espaillat.

Espaillat sued the board, but ultimate conceded to Rangel when his lead grew.

BOE deputy executive director Dawn Sandow defended her staff saying that state rules on ballot counting caused some of the confusion that night and their process was unnecessarily tainted by the media.

"I have no difficulty stating that the board performed well for the voters," she said.

Quinn disagreed and blasted Sandow for dropping the ball.

"You need to ensure the plans you are doing are smooth and sound," she said.