Authorities responded Monday to an incident at a polling place in the Finger Lakes Mall after an unauthorized person allegedly entered the location. Cayuga County Board of Elections officials reported that law enforcement agencies, including the New York State Police and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department, were called to the scene in the early afternoon to investigate.

After reviewing the security footage, conducting a briefing and interviewing the staff of the Electoral Council, law enforcement concluded that no criminal act had taken place. According to the Electoral Board, there were no ballots or voting records present at the time because early voting had ended and the site was just being prepared for election day.

Commissioners John Camardo, who represents the Republican Party, and Keith Batman, who represents the Democratic Party, assured the public that the integrity of the election remains intact. They emphasized that all voting machines were secure, locked in a separate room and individually sealed. Security measures remained uncompromised, with no evidence that the closed chamber or voting machine seals had been tampered with.

“While this is an unfortunate incident, it will have no impact on our election and we look forward to tomorrow, election day,” the commissioners said.

The incident at the Finger Lakes Mall has drawn attention in Cayuga County, but officials are urging voters to feel confident in the security measures in place.

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