Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday to kick off the 2023 general election.

The Erie County Director of Elections Tonia Fernandez said final preparations are taking place. She said mail-in ballots are still being accepted until 8 p.m. on Tuesday night.

“If someone’s not able to get out, if they have a disability, they are able to appoint a designated agent,” said Fernandez. “And all we ask is that you drop that designated agent form off with the ballot.”

She said voters that are casting their ballot for the first time at a precinct must show an ID, and that all the polling locations will utilize the poll pads this election.

She told us how the process of counting ballots will take place.

“Any ballot received before 5 p.m. today will be pre-canvassed. Tomorrow we’ll start opening the mail-in ballots at 7 a.m. And then anything that comes in the mail tomorrow we’re not allowed to canvas until after 8 p.m. tomorrow,” said Fernandez.

The election coordinator said another aspect to ensure election integrity is to make sure all the polling locations are fully staffed.

“I think the more people that are at your polling location that are working and looking out to make sure that everything is done properly, and the laws are being followed, the better. And that’s what we strive for,” said Angela Watson, election coordinator of Erie County.

Watson said there are roughly 800 poll workers for all 149 precincts. She said each polling location has a minimum of five poll workers.

“We do a training before the primary election, a training before the general election. It’s a three-hour training, we train on all of the paperwork (and) all of the machines that are being used,” said Watson.

Fernandez said Harbor Creek district Two will now be voting at East Lake Alliance Church and Millcreek district 24 will now vote at the Asbury Woods Nature Center.

She said all voters have been notified by mail about the change.