ALBANY — New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced that the Office of the Attorney General will make its Election Protection Hotline available for the upcoming Aug. 23 primary and for the state’s early voting period, which began today and ends Sunday, Aug. 21.

The hotline will be available to troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters, including voting by absentee ballot or in person at their polling place, the attorney general’s Thursday announcement said.

Voters that experience problems can report issues to the Office of the Attorney General by calling the hotline at 866-390-2992, submitting complaints online at https://ag.ny.gov/election-hotline or by emailing election.hotline@ag.ny.gov.

The OAG has also created a guide addressing frequently asked questions to assist voters which is available online at https://ag.ny.gov/election-protection.

“Free and fair access to the ballot box is integral to our democracy,” James said. “While states across the nation are making every effort to limit the right to vote, New Yorkers can count on our election protection hotline to address any challenges and provide helpful guidance, whether they’re voting absentee by mail or in-person at their polling place. My office will always fight to defend the right to full and meaningful participation in the electoral process.”

The hotline and digital form are accessible in multiple languages. The telephone hotline will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. through Sunday, Aug. 21, and between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 23. Written requests for election-related assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form or via email.

Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by attorneys and staff of the Office of the Attorney General.

The Office of the Attorney General has operated its Election Protection Hotline since November 2012. During previous elections, the office has fielded hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of complaints from voters across the state and worked with local election officials and others to address issues. The office has also taken legal action to protect against voter registration purges and to ensure that voters have adequate and equitable access to vote early as required by law.

James reminds all registered voters that they have the right to accessible elections. In addition, all registered voters have the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person. 

The Election Day Hotline is being coordinated and led by Assistant Attorneys General Nancy Trasande, Lindsay McKenzie, and Conor Duffy, Research Analyst Miriam Li, and Deputy Bureau Chief Travis England of the Civil Rights Bureau. The Civil Rights Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.