Skoufis calls for election investigation

After an initial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the October election in the Village of South Blooming Grove, State Sen. James Skoufis has referred the matter to the office of Attorney General Letitia James with allegations of irregularities and voter suppression.

Skoufis said his office began receiving complaints from village residents after South Blooming Grove Mayor George Kalaj and councilmen Abraham Weiss and Yitzchok Feldman were re-elected Oct. 22. Last elected in March 2022, many believed the next election for those three seats would take place in March 2026. After fielding reports of voter suppression and intimidation by local officials, Skoufis issued an investigative information and document request – under threat of subpoena – to the village on Oct. 27. After reviewing responses received on Oct. 31, he followed up with a second solicitation on Nov. 10.

“The totality of evidence is clear: [T]he village conspired to systematically conceal the Oct. 22 election and suppress votes,” Skoufis, who chairs the senate’s Investigations and Government Operations Committee, wrote in his letter to the attorney general. “Whether in a village of approximately 4,000 residents or in a statewide election to represent over 19 million people, voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Any attempt to subvert the will of voters strips away this fundamental American right.”

A law firm representing the Village of South Blooming Grove said village officials acted within the law and have been cooperating with Skoufis.

“The Village of South Blooming Grove conducted its recent election in full accordance with all applicable laws and procedures,” said Norah Murphy of Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr PLLC. “The village has already provided extensive documentation related to the election process and will continue to cooperate fully with any agency seeking additional information. We recently became aware of correspondence sent to the attorney general regarding the election, and we welcome the opportunity to share the complete record with her office. The village is committed to transparency and looks forward to assisting in any review to ensure full confidence in the integrity of the process.”

Allegations

Emma Corey, chief of staff to Skoufis, said the attorney general’s office acknowledged receipt of documents provided by the senator. Among other things, Skoufis is alleging the following:

• Insufficient posting of election notices
Per Election Law § 15–104, the village clerk is required to publish a notice designating the office/offices to be filled during an election, and the terms thereof, at least four months prior to the general village election. On June 10 – the same day the village board adopted a resolution to move their election date – the village board changed their official newspaper from the Times Herald-Record to the Wallkill Valley Times, a weekly newspaper with a coverage area outside of the village. Notice of the village’s general election was published in the Wallkill Valley Times on July 3, less than the state mandated four months prior to the Oct. 22 election.

• Improper certification of elections
Per Election Law § 15–126, the village board was required to meet at its usual meeting place no later than 8 p.m. the day after the election, and the village clerk was required to produce the election returns for the board of trustees to canvass/file a certificate declaring the result with the clerk. Despite a request to see minutes from this meeting, the final certificate filed with the clerk, and a recording of this meeting, the village produced nothing.

• Violation of village law and municipal home rule law
Per Village Law § 3-302, the term of office of mayor, each trustee, treasurer and clerk shall be two official years and the term of office of village justice shall be four official years. The village board, by resolution or local law subject to permissive referendum, may extend to four years the term of mayor, the terms of office for all trustees, or the terms of office of mayor and all trustees.

Per Municipal Home Rule Law § 27, localities including villages are required to file a certified copy of new local laws with the Department of State within 20 days of passage. Because the village waited several years to file this certified copy of the local law extending terms from two years to four years, they violated municipal home rule law, and by extension violated village law, by not properly holding elections every two years.