Superstorm Sandy

Omaha Companies Send Aid to East Coast

Election Systems and Software To Help on Election Day

CREATED Nov. 3, 2012

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Omaha, NE - It''s the fifth day without power in states hit by Superstorm Sandy and there's no guarantee the lights will be on by election day.

The Omaha company, Election Systems and Software loaded a semi with generators, gas cans and power strips Saturday morning and headed to New York. ESS provides voting systems across the country.  The equipment will provide power to polling places in New York City and Long Island. "They need the poll sites to be as consistent as possible, so if you're used to voting in a particular school or community center, that's consistent.  We are not sure all of those will have power by Tuesday," said ESS Senior Vice-President Jim Schmidt.

ESS will send staff members to New York City to make sure the equipment is delivered in time. The generators will provide power to eighty polling places.  Without power, ESS says up to 150,000 voters could be affected on Tuesday.

Omaha's TD Ameritrade will give $250,000 to the American Red Cross disaster fund and match up to $250,000 more to help residents of the east coast.

"Unprecedented flooding, power outages and damage caused by Hurricane Sandy have left many of our employees, clients, families and neighbors in need of help," said TD Ameritrade President and CEO Fred Tomczyk.

The company is also asking it's employees around the country to donate blood.