The County Board of Elections is created under Article 2-8 of the New York State Constitution and New York State Election Law Sec 3-200 as a bipartisan and mandated agency vested with the responsibility for administration and enforcement of all Election laws in Oswego County which includes the administration of all federal, state, city, and town elections. In addition the Board is responsible for the implantation of the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

New York State Election Law mandates the structure of the Board and its responsibilities and duties. Guidelines for procedures are provided by the rules and regulations defined by the New York State Board of Elections.

The Oswego County Board of Elections is authorized by New York State Law and is responsible for the ownership, maintenance, set-up, delivery, and pick-up of all voting machines, payment of voting machine custodians, election inspectors, poll clerks and election coordinators; responsible for the creation, consolidation, division and alteration of election districts and for the selection of polling sites in Oswego County.

The Board insures that all eligible County citizens are offered an opportunity to register and vote: to maintain a complete and accurate permanent voter file of all the registered voters in Oswego County and to insure that the integrity of the balloting process is maintained. In addition the Board oversees campaign finance law and has the power to issue Subpoenas in connection with voter registration investigations.

The Board employs an office of eight, ten part-time voting machine custodians, and approximately 440 election inspectors and alternates. The Board operates a main office and a voting machine warehouse to provide voting machines, support, and services to 110 election districts and 35 poll sites.