NY Gov. Cuomo may use National Guard on Election Day

close

Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for September 21

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he could send National Guard troops to polling locations on Election Day to ensure voters can cast ballots.

During a Monday virtual news conference, Cuomo, a Democrat, said he offered assistance to local election boards after the June 23 primaries revealed issues with in-person voting.

“We said to them, ‘Learn from that experience, tell us what you need,'” he said, according to the New York Post. “We can use National Guard personnel to help.”

DANIEL PRUDE DEATH RAISES NEW QUESTIONS OVER NEW YORK MENTAL HYGIENE LAW, 911 CALLS INVOLVING PCP

The news is in contrast to Cuomo's reluctance to the Guard to address riots that erupted during protests over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody.

In June, President Trump cited New York when he offered to send troops to several cities experiencing unrest.

“We’ll send you the National Guard if you want. You have the largest police force in the country, 40,000 people, I understand, but what’s going on in New York is terrible, it’s terrible, of all the places,” he said during a June 1 conference call with Cuomo and other governors.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The next day, Trump blasted Cuomo for not activating the National Guard and his brother, CNN journalist, Chris Cuomo.

On Monday, the Trump administration designated New York and other cities as jurisdictions that permit violence and destruction of property in response to violent protests and soaring crime rates. In a joint statement, mayors Bill de Blasio of New York, Jenny Durkan of Seattle and Ted Wheeler of Portland, Ore., said Trump is "playing cheap political games."