Community advocates gathered in Buffalo Friday to promote voting rights and warn against misinformation ahead of Election Day. Open Buffalo Executive Director Franchelle Parker encouraged voters to check their sources, especially as artificial intelligence makes false content harder to identify.
“Do your research to make sure that the information that you're sharing is from a credible source, and if you don't know, reach out to someone within your network,” she said.
Open Buffalo is serving as the Western New York regional lead for the Hands Off Our Vote coalition, a statewide election protection initiative involving more than 100 organizations. Parker said volunteers have undergone training to monitor polling locations, identify potential voting problems and connect residents with resources.
The rally comes nearly a week after ballot-printing problems disrupted the first day of early voting in Buffalo.
On Oct. 24, some printers produced ballots with one side upside down, causing counting machines at several early voting sites to reject them. Erie County Board of Elections officials said the problem was corrected and affected ballots were secured for counting on Election Day.
Michi Wenderlich of the New York State Election Protection Coalition said voting has otherwise proceeded smoothly.
“Voters are heading to the polls in droves without any major issues, and we expect that trend to continue through Election Day," Wenderlich said. "Nearly half a million New Yorkers voted early last weekend, almost twice as many people as compared with four years ago.”
Beyond election protections, speakers also stressed how local elections shape everyday life. Partnership for the Public Good Executive Director Andrea Ó Súilleabháin pointed to rising costs for housing, groceries and health care.
“This is not just a personal problem. This is a political problem. The decisions our government makes determine and decide whose lives get easier and whose lives get harder," she said.
Ó Súilleabháin also encouraged Buffalo voters to review the 11 proposed City Charter amendments on this year's ballot, including proposals addressing government transparency and accountability.
Community leaders called for broader participation among eligible voters, particularly in historically disenfranchised communities. Ras Jomo, an organizer with Buffalo's Juneteenth festival, emphasized the importance of mobilizing friends and family, including younger generations, to participate in elections.
“Right now in New York State, we have a few more days for early voting," he said, "so all of your friends and family who have not voted, encourage them, get them out, take them, take the young people with you, and show other generations what it looks like to participate in democracy.”
King Urban Life Center Executive Director Da’Von McCune echoed those sentiments, encouraging residents to engage with their neighbors and families about the issues affecting their communities. He said those conversations can begin around the dinner table.
“Let those conversations continue after the plates are cleared and after this election is over," he said. "Our community deserves to be heard. Our neighbors deserve to feel safe. Every eligible voter deserves the opportunity to help shape our shared future."
Early voting continues through Sunday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Parker encouraged residents to confirm their polling locations, develop a plan to vote and share accurate information with others.
Residents facing intimidation, accessibility barriers or other problems at the polls can contact the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.
