Newburgh school board candidate Bob Capano is contesting his narrow election loss, claiming some voters were poorly informed about new voting locations ahead of the May 20 election, inconvenienced and in some cases, deterred from casting ballots.

Voter Drew Kartigener said voting May 20 was difficult.

He arrived to vote at Balmville Elementary, where he had voted for decades, a mile from his home.

He said arrived May 20 to be first told he was at the wrong voting location and then to be told he was not eligible to vote.

"The woman at the desk said, 'You're not registered.' I told her, 'Yes I am,'" Kartiganer recalled. "The next person told me the same thing, 'You're not registered.' I said, 'I am.'"

Kartiganer said that after pressing the issue further, a poll worker eventually found he was at the wrong voting location and that his new voting location was The Meadow Hill School, a 15-minute drive away.

Throughout his struggle at Balmville Elementary voting location, he says no poll worker provided him a provisional ballot, which should be provided as an option.

Provisional ballots allow voters whose voting eligibility is in question to still cast ballots to later be accepted or rejected.

Kartiganer, who eventually did cast a ballot, said he did not receive any direct notification that polling places would change due to recent redistricting.

He went off the latest voter information he had.

"There's nothing for this year," he said. "It's strange."

News 12 spoke with five voters who said they were first told by May 20 election workers they were not registered, and were not offered a provisional ballot.

Close to 3,000 people did manage to vote.

According to publicly available data school board election voter turnout overall was higher this year than it was last year, and The Meadow Hill School had the most ballots cast of all nine voting locations - with 687.

Capano, who lost his school board bid by 21 votes, told News 12 the problem was mainly in the surrounding towns the district serves, where he performed well.

Voting locations recently changed in the Town of Newburgh due to redistricting.

All voting locations in the City of Newburgh, though, remained the same.

Capano said he met with an attorney Tuesday to assist in filing an official appeal with the New York State Education Department.

Capano is requesting an investigation and a new election if necessary.

"Many voters had to spend a half-hour or 45 minutes going to their proper voting location," he said Tuesday in a Zoom interview, "but who knows how many voters just gave up?"

A school district spokesperson said anyone who shows up at the wrong voting location should still be allowed to vote there with a provisional ballot.

The spokesperson also provided examples of voter information flyers and announcements that have been posted on the district's website, on social media, and through regular mail.

District officials said the Orange County Board of Elections sent postcards ahead of the May 20 election notifying voters of new voting locations.

News 12 has reached out to the county's elections commissioners and is awaiting a response.