The voter rolls within the closely Democratic metropolis of Mount Vernon are so shady that they embody lifeless residents and locals who had been born as early as 1897, a scathing new lawsuit claims.
In simply over a yr, the variety of voters within the small Westchester County metropolis spiked by 30%, with the rise closely favoring the Democratic majority, Metropolis Council candidate Invoice Schwartz alleged within the stunning criticism filed in opposition to county election officers final week.
“This lawsuit is about greater than messy information,” Schwartz, who misplaced a celebration major bid final month, advised The Publish. “When the voter rolls are that sloppy and nobody on the Board of Elections is answering questions you begin to surprise what else is slipping by way of the cracks — or being pushed by way of them.
“I’m asking the court docket to step in and ensure the November election and future elections are performed pretty, transparently and by the ebook,” he stated.
The lawsuit, filed July 15 in Supreme Court docket in White Plains, names the Westchester County Board of Elections and its two commissioners, Republican Doug Colety and Democrat Tajian Nelson.
Nelson couldn’t be reached for remark, however Colety advised The Publish that the board couldn’t remark because it had not formally been served with Scwhartz’s criticism.
In keeping with Schwartz, the Democrats management the suburban metropolis of about 80,000 residents, historically a strong voting bloc that holds nice political affect within the county.
Nelson, a Mount Vernon resident, not solely holds the election commissioner put up, however can also be recording secretary for the town’s Democratic committee. Her mentor, the late Reginald LaFayette, not solely held the commissioner’s put up for years, but additionally served because the county and Mount Vernon social gathering chair.
Schwartz maintains social gathering bigwigs additionally name the pictures within the metropolis — and never on the up-and-up.
He in contrast voter information from final yr and from June of this yr and located there had been greater than 10,000 new voter IDs in 13 months — a whopping quantity in a metropolis with simply over 41,000 voters.
Final yr, county board information listed 34,386 distinctive voter IDs, with 25,900 registered Democrats, 2,167 registered Republicans and the remainder both impartial or itemizing different events.
The lawsuit stated this yr there have been now 44,021 distinctive voter IDs, with 31,311 registered as Democrats and simply 2,821 Republicans, with the remainder impartial or registered to minor political events.
Schwartz additionally stated the information had been “deeply problematic,” with the oldest voter itemizing a birthdate of Oct. 13, 1897, and the earliest registration date listed as Oct. 12, 1927, he stated.
Some 2025 voters hadn’t forged a poll in over 10 years, whereas others had their birthdates, addresses and social gathering affiliation modified on the information, the lawsuit claimed.
Schwartz cited two metropolis residents now registered to vote — John Gallagher and Gregory Bonaparte — “who’re, actually, deceased and have been for a few years,” the swimsuit stated.
One other “lively” voter on the Mount Vernon rolls moved to Virginia 12 years in the past, one other died greater than 15 years in the past, and yet one more died in 2002, in keeping with the lawsuit.
Nevertheless, Schwartz stated the elections board refused to repair the information when the fraud was reported.
“This isn’t nearly social gathering politics,” he stated. “It’s about equity. If we wish individuals to think about our elections, then the principles want to use to everybody, regardless of how linked they’re.
“Proper now I don’t suppose that’s occurring,” he added. “I’m dong what I can to alter it.”
