As the election day approaches in New York, the state’s Attorney General Letitia James issued a warning to voters on November 1st. She cautioned against relying on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for information regarding polling locations, times, or methods, as they could potentially mislead individuals and result in the loss of voting opportunities.
The Attorney General’s office recently tested AI chatbots and found that some of them provided incorrect information about voter registration deadlines, claiming deadlines earlier than they actually were. This misinformation could lead voters to believe they have missed the registration deadline, consequently losing their chance to vote.
Furthermore, certain chatbots also distributed inaccurate information about polling stations. For instance, when asked about early voting in Brooklyn, one chatbot incorrectly stated that Brooklyn voters could cast their votes at any early voting station within the district. However, contrary to this information, voters in New York City, including Brooklyn, must vote at designated early voting locations within their respective districts. Trusting such misinformation from chatbots could potentially result in wasted trips.
Letitia James had previously cautioned the public to remain vigilant against false or misleading information generated by AI. With just a few days left before the election, she reiterated her advice, suggesting that individuals seeking accurate information about polling locations, times, and methods should refer to official websites.
For voting information, individuals can visit the Attorney General’s office website at https://ag.ny.gov/individuals/voting-rights, the New York State Board of Elections website at https://elections.ny.gov/contact-us, or the website of their local Board of Elections. In cases where the local Board of Elections website is unknown, individuals can search on the state government’s website at https://publicreporting.elections.ny.gov/CountyBoardRoster/CountyBoardRoster. Regarding polling stations, voter registration, and ballot tracking information, the New York State Board of Elections voter lookup tool can be accessed at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/.
In the event of election-related issues such as voting interference or threats, voters can contact the Attorney General’s office hotline at 866-390-2992 or file complaints online at https://electionhotline.ag.ny.gov/.