Voter Reg Day—Illegal or Convenient?
By David Crohn

An unusual voter registration practice is causing tensions to rise in Saltaire while giving two longtime critics of the town’s election practices more fuel for their detractions.

Last week Saltaire held two personal registration days that let individuals who are already on the voter rolls in Suffolk County and who haven’t already voted elsewhere to sign up to vote in local voting districts ten and twelve days before election day.

Some voters like it because it’s an easy way to get involved in local government, but critics say at best it just causes confusion. At worst, it makes it easy to vote twice, critics say.

“The issue has been raised in the last couple years about dual registration and dual voting. A person can only be registered and vote in only one election district,” said Saltairian Bob Feustel, who went to challenge those that were coming in for personal registration at the Village Hall.

But while he says he was there doing his civic duty, witnesses told The Fire Island News his presence there was intimidating—and possibly illegal. Nancy Henriksen, who serves on the board of elections and was present at both registration days, declined comment.

Election day in Saltaire is May 26.

Although legal under New York state’s election laws, very few towns or villages in the state still allow personal registration days. Ocean Beach banned them in 2000.

Hugh O’Brien, a village trustee who is running unopposed to keep his seat this year (see accompanying story), said personal registration always results in a big jump in voter turnout. Still, he’d like to see the practice abolished. “There’s always been a lot of arguments, headaches and problems,” he said. “The Board of Elections in Albany really don’t like us to do it. Technically it gives you the ability to vote in two places simultaneously.”

The issue may be one of few where he and outspoken resident Noel Feustel—Bob’s brother—see eye to eye.

“You make a decision on where you vote, but you only get one purple finger. They got it right in Iraq and Afghanistan but they can’t seem to get it right in Saltaire,” Noel Feustel said. Although he has houses in Brooklyn and Bayport in addition to his Saltaire home, he only votes in Saltaire, he said.

Of the 25 voters this year who registered in this fashion—down from about 70 last year—Bob Feustel says he knows of at least 22 who are already registered off island.

Bob Feustel said the village did not immediately provide petitions that allow citizens to challenge every registrant. Furthermore, he said, a village official was not there to administer an oath to a challenged registrant, which is required under Section 5-218 of New York State election law.

Mayor Scott Rosenblum, who said he hasn’t formed a specific view on whether or not it’s working for the village, did acknowledge one benefit. “We like to encourage as many people as possible to vote and to participate. If this helps them that’s a good thing.”

While Saltaire determines how best to deal with the issue in coming years, it looks like the village will be going it alone, without help or oversight from Suffolk County. A spokeswoman for the Suffolk County Board of Elections, Ellen Martin, said, “It’s out of our jurisdiction there.”