A Letter Signed by 40 Local Elected Officials calls on the New York State Board of Elections, State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and Albany County District Attorney David Soares to “undertake an investigation of wrongful activity in the absentee ballot process” in this year’s Primary and General Elections in City and County Races.

The Letter, released Monday morning ahead of a planned 10 a.m. Press Conference outside the Offices of the State Board of Elections, comes several days after the Times Union Reported about concerns that Voters in certain City Races were being Misled on Valid reasons for Absentee Ballot voting, particularly in the 11th Ward Race, where Incumbent Common Councilman Judd Krasher is running on the Independence Party line after Losing the Democratic Primary to Challenger Alfredo Balarin.

Albany Attorney and former City Court Judge Thomas Keefe, who has been Working on Balarin’s Campaign, told the Times Union that he had seen Candidates and their Supporters target People who don’t typically Vote to encourage them to Vote Absentee, without necessarily having a Valid Reason to do so.

“They’ve gone to them and gotten dozens and dozens of people to sign absentee ballot applications saying they’re sick on primary day or saying they’re going to be out of town,” Keefe said. “They say they never said they were going to be out of town.”

In the 11th Ward, Applications nearly Doubled, from 63 in 2008 to 121 in this year’s Primary. For the upcoming General Election, the number has now risen to 204 with about 140 of them set to be picked up by People designated by the Applicants, according to County Board of Elections figures.

The Letter, dated Oct. 27th, is Signed by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, State Assembly Members Patricia Fahy, Phil Steck, and John T. McDonald, State Sen. Neil Breslin, and City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, as well as numerous Common Council Members and County Legislators.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker