New York City voters report hiccups at polls for mayoral election

Nation Sep 10, 2013 4:27 PM EDT

Voters in New York reported issues using old-school voting machines Tuesday. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.

As New York City voters head to the polls Tuesday to choose their Democratic and Republican nominees for mayor, there were scattered reports of problems with the old mechanical lever machines. The city opted for these older model machines because they experienced delays with electronic ones during the 2012 election. The Board of Elections has been handing out emergency ballots and attempting to fix or replace the broken machines.

Even the candidates reported issues. Joe Lhota was forced to vote on an emergency ballot since his polling station at the Congregation of Mount Sinai in Brooklyn Heights was experiencing problems. Anthony Weiner, walking with his toddler Jordan in hand, was delayed voting because his polling station said they didn't have his signature on file.

Bill de Blasio kissed his wife and greeted media after voting at the Park Slope Library, saying "we expect a runoff." John Liu and Christine Quinn voted with their spouses at schools in Flushing and Chelsea respectively, experiencing no issues. Bill Thompson voted in Harlem, a district which has become a battleground between him and de Blasio in recent weeks. John Catsimatidis cast his vote on the Upper East side before getting into his large bus, the CATSimatidis Express, and waving goodbye.

Meanwhile, Washington Post reporter Jason Horowitz spotted Sydney Leathers, Weiner's former sexting buddy, outside the former congressman's campaign headquarters with this sign:

Sydney Leathers, outside Weiner HQ, is "not at all" worried that she will disappear with his candidacy. pic.twitter.com/Di4BvNdBbg

— Jason Horowitz (@jasondhorowitz) September 10, 2013