New technology will greet voters on Long Island

Early voting begins Saturday in New York. 

Some residents will encounter new technology and larger ballots with more decisions to make. 

New York moved local races from odd to even years to boost voter turnout, so there will be an unprecedented number of races on ballots on Long Island this midterm. 

"In Nassau County this year, we have a double-sided ballot. You check both sides and feed it into the machine, and it gives a nice little sound, and your vote is cast," Nassau Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Jim Scheuerman said. 

Privacy booths will still be used for voters to fill out their ballots, but the new machines are being ushered in, along with new double-sided ballots. 

In Suffolk, voters will have touchscreen ballots for the very first time, which are user-friendly and accessible, complete with larger text, contrast, and safeguards. It's a far cry from the 1950s and '60s, when machines had velvet curtains, or 1920, when the right to vote for women was on the ballot. 

A common complaint has to do with the length of time it takes to count votes in the suburbs. This year in Nassau County, instead of police escorting the ballots to the Mineola Board of Elections, they will be counted in precincts. 

"We've researched it and we are working closely with Nassau police, and we expect we will get a quicker result," Nassau Board of Elections Republican Commissioner Jim Moriarty said. 

According to a new poll by Hofstra's National Center for Suburban Studies, voter apathy among Democrats has taken a back seat to enthusiasm. 

"Excitement to get out the vote is generally higher among Republican candidates. This time in the suburbs we are finding a huge gap in favor of Democrats," Lawrence Levy of Hofstra University said. 

Swing district suburbs will make their voices heard during the midterm elections.