Contested NYC primary election, marred by suspected fraudulent votes, has concluded, but a criminal investigation continues to surround the process
In the recent Brooklyn City Council primary, allegations of voter fraud have surfaced, with the Brooklyn District Attorney's office now actively investigating the claims. The focus of the investigation is on absentee ballots that were cast for at least two deceased voters, as well as 22 additional ballots discovered during a manual recount that could not be traced back to specific voters[1][2].
The New York City Board of Elections (BOE) has certified George Sarantopoulos as the winner of the Republican primary, despite these irregularities[3]. However, the BOE has acknowledged the issues and invalidated some suspicious ballots. The BOE Deputy Executive Director, Vincent Ignizio, confirmed that a comprehensive and transparent review of all valid ballots has been completed, and that all valid votes have been properly counted according to New York State Election Law[4].
The primary, held to determine the Republican candidate to challenge Democratic nominee Kayla Santosuosso in the November general election, saw Sarantopoulous emerge as the winner by a margin of 16 votes over Richie Barsamian[5]. Barsamian, who has the power to appoint BOE workers, did not respond to repeated requests for comment[6].
Sarantopoulous has expressed concern about the integrity of the voting system and has called for trust in it. He stated that there were multiple ballot irregularities in the primary[7]. In addition to the 22 ballots that could not be attributed to specific voters, one living voter who did not vote received a "cure notice," indicating errors were detected with that ballot[1]. Another voter also reported receiving a "cure notice" despite not voting[8].
The BOE has maintained that it has been transparent throughout the recount process[9]. The certification of the primary results came after an expose by The Post that showed accusations of voter fraud[10]. The criminal investigation into the matter is ongoing, and no public update indicates its conclusion[1][3].
The winner of the general election will replace Councilman Justin Brannan, who is reaching the end of his term limit this year. The BOE's responsibility now is to certify the results and prepare for the general election in November.
[1] The Post [2] Brooklyn Daily Eagle [3] CBS New York [4] NBC New York [5] Brooklyn Paper [6] The City [7] The City [8] The City [9] Brooklyn Daily Eagle [10] The Post
Politics and electionsintertwine in the ongoing controversy of the Brooklyn City Council primary, as allegations of voter fraud surface amidst the investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. Amidst this general-news story, crime-and-justice aspects emerge with questions surrounding absentee ballots, discrepancies in voter registration, and issues with the New York City Board of Elections.
