Onondaga County is making early voting more transparent for its residents. At the busy DeWitt Town Hall location, poll workers use a simple QR‑code system to record how long each voter waits in line. The code is printed for the last person in the queue, then scanned again when that voter reaches the front, allowing the Board of Elections to calculate the exact wait time.
How the tracking works
Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny explained, “Once the last voter in the line gets to the front, we rescan that QR code and it calculates the wait time for what they were in the line for.” Those measurements are uploaded to the county’s website roughly twice an hour, giving voters up-to‑date estimates before they leave home.
Typical wait times
According to Czarny, DeWitt Town Hall usually sees waits of 20 to 25 minutes, though individual experiences vary. Early voter Tony LoBrutto reported a 15‑minute wait on a recent visit and said he was able to vote without difficulty.
What isn’t measured
The system tracks time spent in line and at the check‑in desk, but it does not capture how long voters take to fill out their ballots. This distinction matters this year because the ballot is larger than usual – a 22‑inch sheet that includes federal, state and local races, as well as two competing proposals on term limits for the county executive and comptroller.
Term‑limit proposals
One measure would cap the county executive and comptroller at three consecutive four‑year terms (12 years total). The other would allow four consecutive four‑year terms (16 years). Voters will cast a separate yes‑or‑no vote on each. If both pass, the proposal with the higher number of affirmative votes becomes law.
Republican perspective
Republican Elections Commissioner Kevin Ryan said the longer ballot has not noticeably slowed voters’ overall time in the booth. “I haven’t really noticed that,” he remarked.
Advice for voters
Election officials encourage anyone hoping to avoid longer lines to check the online wait‑time estimates before heading out. Onondaga County operates ten early‑voting sites, and early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The full list of locations, hours and real‑time wait estimates is available on the Onondaga County Board of Elections’ early‑voting page.
Why the data matters
Providing transparent wait‑time information aligns with the county’s commitment to a smooth, family‑friendly voting process. By letting residents plan their trips, the Board helps keep the democratic exercise efficient and reduces unnecessary inconvenience for working parents and seniors alike.
Original reporting: CNY Central WSTM (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
