Ramapo Voting Machines Locked Up After Reports Of Suspicious Campaign Phone Calls
RAMAPO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A judge has ordered voting machines in Ramapo to be impounded days after a contentious vote was held to restructure the Town Board.
As CBS 2's Lou Young reported, voters were deciding whether to restructure the board in the Rockland County town by switching to a ward system -- replacing its four townwide seats with representatives from six geographic districts. The proposal was widely considered to be a way to dilute the influence of the town's powerful Orthodox Jewish voting bloc.
But some residents reported receiving calls on election day from someone claiming to be the with the Board of Elections and advising them to vote against the measure.
The real Board of Elections is livid. Both Republicans and Democrats filed criminal complaints.
"I'm shocked," said county Elections Commissioner Louis Babcock. "To have someone impersonate us, it's pretty bad."
Rockland County Executive Ed Day has asked the district attorney to investigate.
"I am very upset about this because now there are people out there who essentially are trying to compromise the right to vote," Day said. "I take that very personal."
The vote results remain under lock and key until next Friday, when a judge will decide when and if they can be counted.
Nancy Canals, of Ramapo, said she supported the proposal.
"I like the idea of diffusing the control so that everybody can have more of a vote, more of a say in what's happening in the town," she said.
A man named Moishe disagreed.
"Why (in) this little town of Ramapo you trying to ask me (if) it's good that we should do the ward system?" he said. " ... I don't see anybody around has it."
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