Rockland County, NY – Long Awaited Results Announced In Fall 2014 Ramapo Wards Election

Rockland County, NY – Results of a special election in Ramapo that would have potentially shifted the balance of power away from the Jewish community have finally been announced almost 11 months after the controversial vote took place.

Voters in Ramapo cast their ballots on two issues last September: dividing the town into six distinct geographic locations known as wards and increasing the size of the town board from four to six members, as previously reported on VIN News.

According to The Journal News, voters narrowly rejected both referendums, voting 15,581 to 14,687 against the proposed ward system and 15,648 to 14,644 on the change to the town board.

Non-registered residents were permitted to vote by affidavit in the special election, bringing out a much larger than usual turnout in the Jewish community. But pro-ward voters claimed that election workers in other locations were not made aware of the voting rules and denied affidavit ballots to residents who wanted to vote, thereby tipping the vote in favor of the Jewish community.

Also in question were instructions about absentee ballots, which informed voters that their vote would be tallied if it was received within seven days of the vote, while state law requires all ballots to be received no later than 5 PM on the day of the election. Both sides alleged foul play in the voting process prompting all of the votes to be impounded immediately after the election.

Because of the confusion regarding the affidavit and absentee ballots, a new election was ordered by the state Supreme Court in October, but that decision was overturned by an Appellate Division panel, which ruled that no such action could be taken before the votes were actually counted.