Hurricane Sandy left a devastating path of destruction in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas causing, among many other things, loss of electrical power and telecommunications to millions of people and businesses. The effects of which will be felt for weeks if not months to come.

ESC began planning for this event well in advance. The results of that planning are most evident in that sixteen elections (totaling over 600,000 voters) were under way during the storm without incurring one second of online voting interruption nor any delays in mailing paper ballots or processing return ballots.

Our largest business partner, the United States Postal Service, was prepared to handle our ballot mailings and experienced no delays in doing so. Our diesel generators provided electrical power as designed and the multiple high speed communication systems also performed as they should. ESC staff worked tirelessly during and after the storm servicing our clients and their voting members.

This is not the first time we have had to be ready for such an event. In 2003, the great blackout affecting the entire Northeast region did not interrupt our voting systems. Last year, ESC's voting systems were unaffected during Hurricane Irene's destruction as well. It is my belief, and the belief of many others, that these weather patterns are no longer rare events but are becoming more frequent. This is why ESC will continue to invest in the kinds of systems, processes and protections that have allowed us to provide our services during these events.

Election Services Co. is proud to offer its services to over fourteen million voters annually.