Voters displaced by Superstorm Sandy can still vote in statewide races and the presidential campaign, but a vote outside of their district in down-ballot races won’t count, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today at a news conference.

Cuomo, who is signing an executive order to allow affidavit balloting, said the move was needed because many polling places were too damaged to open and because so many people have been living with friends or relatives because of the storm.

“Compared with what we have had to deal with the past week, this will be a walk in the park, going out and voting,” Cuomo said.

But the move is sure to complicated the outcomes of several closely watched House, Senate and Assembly races in the affected areas from Long Island to Westchester County.

Voters who cast ballots via affidavit can still vote in the statewide U.S. Senate race and the presidential election.

But if they vote outside of their local House, Assembly or state Senate district, their vote won’t count, Cuomo said.

“That’s the downside,” he said.

The move comes after good-government advocates called on the governor in a letter to allow for some form of affidavit voting.

It reamins to be seen what the impact this could ultimately have on down-ballot races in storm-ravaged areas, especially in the Queens state Senate race between Republican Eric Ulrich and Democratic Sen. Joe Addabbo.

The governor also blasted utility companies in a rare display of public anger that the major energy providers haven’t moved fast enough to turn the lights back on.

Roughly 480,000 power customers remain in the dark more than a week after the storm hit the area.

“These utilities were not created in the Bible,” Cuomo said. “If you can’t provide the service then we’ll find another vendor who can.”

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