Vote early, not often

There’s an election Nov. 5, and while the choices this year are few, citizens can, thanks to New York’s first time using early voting, cast ballots starting today at 10 a.m. The fun continues for nine days until next Sunday. Of course, there will still be regular voting hours on Election Day Tuesday, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

But, like everything in New York, it’s complicated. The nine extra days of voting will only be at 61 locales across the five boroughs, a tiny fraction of the regular 1,200 polling sites open Election Day. Each voter has been assigned to two locations, an early site and a regular one.

You have to go to the correct place, otherwise your vote won’t count. Also new is the use of tablet computers to look up voters’ names. It should be easier than the printed booklets. We hope so; rarely has the Board of Elections seen an opportunity it didn’t botch.

What hasn’t changed are the uncompetitive contests. Democrat Jumaane Williams, who won February’s special election for the extraneous office of public advocate, will beat GOP Councilman Joe Borelli. Democrat Melinda Katz will be elected Queen district attorney. Bronx DA Darcel Clark will be reelected unopposed. There are also judicial elections, with the Democrats always winning, except on Staten Island.

On the back are five Charter Revision questions. We are glad that the City Council-appointed commission didn’t muck around too much, so we say yes on all. No. 1 is the most far reaching, for rankedchoice voting. No. 2 gives a bit more clout to the Civilian Complaint Review Board. No. 3 is a mulligan stew, but harmless. No. 4 establishes a rainy day fund for city finances and No. 5 makes minute changes to land-use rules.

Vote, wontcha?