Cayuga County polling locations had panic buttons on Election Day

Working with an outside vendor, Cayuga County agencies had panic buttons installed at its Election Day polling locations.

The devices were provided by SaferWatch, which also has an app used by the county to send public safety alerts. The panic buttons were linked to the local 911 center. If activated, it would send alerts to local law enforcement agencies.

"Keeping everyone safe on Election Day is our top priority, and we want people to feel at ease when they come out to vote," Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck said. "By implementing SaferWatch panic buttons at our polling locations, we took proactive measures for our community and provided reassurance to election staff that they were protected and supported while keeping our community and voters safe."

SaferWatch praised Cayuga County for "setting a new standard for Election Day security and community-focused safety initiatives." The company's panic buttons are "uniquely designed to meet the needs of public safety in real time, providing a robust and secure connection to emergency response services," according to a news release.

"This election, and all elections, shouldn't just be free and fair," SaferWatch CEO Geno Roefaro said. "They should also be safe, and Cayuga County is leading the way across New York to ensure safety at the polls — for voters and election workers — during a time when no one wants to take any chances."

There were no incidents reported at Election Day polling locations in Cayuga County. The county had nearly 30 polling locations, including four in the city of Auburn and one in each town. There was also a countywide voting location at the Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius.

Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or . Love Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Online producer/politics reporter