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Fingerlakes Mall has been added as an early voting location and will be a countywide poll site on Election Day. During early voting and on Election Day, voters from anywhere in the county can go to the mall's conference center — the former Jo-Ann Fabric store — and cast their ballot. 

Keith Batman, the Democratic elections commissioner in Cayuga County, told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼ that the board was searching for an additional early voting site when Rene Patterson, the mall's general manager, contacted them and offered space in the Aurelius shopping center. 

The mall was an attractive option for a countywide polling location, Batman said, because it is near Auburn and on a Centro bus route. 

"It's easily accessible to everyone in the central part of the county," he added. 

Availability and cost were also factors. The elections board needed a space that could be used for the nine-day early voting period. It had to be secure and could not be used for another purpose during that time frame. 

The mall's conference center was available. It also helped that the mall is allowing the county to use the site for free. That was important, Batman explained, because the board did not budget for renting more space. 

With the location secured for early voting, Batman said they decided to also use it as an Election Day polling location. While Election Day sites are limited to voters who live in the city or town, the mall will be open to any registered voter in the county. For example, if you live in the towns of Genoa or Sterling, you can go to the mall and vote. 

"It provides an option for voters that they've never had before and we're hoping will be very attractive and very convenient," Batman said. 

Mall officials are excited about hosting the first-ever countywide voting site in Cayuga County. 

Elizabeth Hebbard, director of marketing at Fingerlakes Mall, told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼ that they have ample parking, handicapped accessibility and restrooms for voters. 

"We are proud to support the electoral process and look forward to welcoming voters from across the county," Hebbard said. "We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Cayuga County and look forward to our continued partnership in the future." 

The conference center has high capacity, according to Batman, so it will be able to accommodate a large number of voters. With the county expecting 80% turnout for the presidential election, they are hoping some voters will choose to go to the mall instead of their usual polling location. 

"When you have that many people turning out, you need to find a way to spread that voting out sufficiently so that people are not standing in line being discouraged and being annoyed," he said. "We're about allowing people to vote in a convenient way, in an accessible way and without inconvenience." 

The mall location will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday during early voting. On Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5, the site will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.