Area Officials say NYS Board of Elections is discriminating against a number of voters

Some area officials say the New York State Board of Elections is discriminating against a number of voters. Utica councilmen Jim Zecca and Frank Vescera say the Board of Elections is excluding people who are handicapped, elderly, or active in military from voting in their local democratic primary. Absentee ballots that are sent to these voting groups contain primaries for state committee positions, but none for ward, town, city or county committees. At least one Utica man who's running for a county committee seat says he's very angry to hear about this law.

"They should have their right to vote, whether it be absenteeism or actually going to the polls. It's their right as a citizen of this country to vote and this new law is just stealing it out from underneath them, its wrong," says Craig Hook, Utica resident.

"We have folks, men and women serving our country overseas and we're telling them you can risk your life serving your country, but you cannot pick and choose the people in your local elections that are going to represent you," says Jim Zecca, Utica councilman.

Councilmen Zecca and Vescera are asking Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi and state senator Joe Griffo - to introduce legislation to change the law. Eyewitness News tried to contact Board of Elections but were unable to get a comment due to the Labor Day holiday.