The New York City Board of Elections on Tuesday finalized the results of the Republican primary for City Council District 47, despite ongoing allegations of voter fraud casting a shadow over both the contest and the board.
George Sarantopoulos secured victory over Brooklyn GOP chairman Richie Barsamian by a margin of just 16 votes after a hand recount was mandated due to the close tally. Sarantopoulos is slated to go head-to-head with Democrat Kayla Santosuosso in November for the seat currently held by term-limited Council Member Justin Brannan.
Scrutinized Ballots and Alleged Absentee Irregularities
Just days before the results were ratified, the BOE reported that it had referred two separate voter fraud allegations to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. One incident concerned 22 questionable ballots found on July 22 in a storage bin at the BOE’s Brooklyn site. These ballots, all from a single scanner and precinct at the Amalgamated Warbasse Houses in Coney Island, went uncounted on Election Day.
Upon review, the BOE could not confirm the ballots belonged to real voters, and they were subsequently voided. In a separate matter, absentee ballots were found cast in the names of deceased persons and at least one living voter who did not actually vote.
Because absentee ballots get separated from their identifying envelopes, the bogus votes had already been mixed into the total and could not be extracted.
Demands for Oversight within the BOE
Election attorney Aaron Foldenauer, counsel for Sarantopoulos, expressed concerns about possible involvement by BOE personnel. According to THE CITY, law enforcement confiscated devices from several Brooklyn BOE employees.
“These [22 votes] were never tabulated,” Foldenauer said. “They were not included on election night or in the ranked-choice voting calculations … so it seems these ballots were placed in late. There’s a strong indication one or more Board of Elections staffers could have participated.”
Sarantopoulos, in remarks to the board Tuesday, commended the workers who flagged concerns and demanded that those implicated be “punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Barsamian Camp Questions Disqualification Review
Barsamian has been silent in public since July 23, but earlier highlighted his legal team’s determination to have every “legal vote count.” His lawyer, John Ciampoli, objected to the BOE’s approach, alleging canvassers weren’t allowed to challenge or review the disputed ballots.
Both Ciampoli and Foldenauer asserted that the voided ballots appeared to primarily benefit Barsamian, which could have changed the outcome.
A legal action Sarantopoulos initiated earlier this month against Barsamian and the BOE will likely be dropped now that certification is complete and a criminal probe is underway.
“The investigation’s goal is to ensure any perpetrators face justice,” Foldenauer stated. “Given the opportunities for manipulation by both BOE insiders and outside actors, it’s critical these fraud incidents are fully investigated and prosecuted by law enforcement.”
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