PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Four area Republican members of the state’s General Assembly are calling on the state’s attorney general to conduct “full investigations into all allegations of voter fraud in New Jersey and to set guidelines and procedures regarding vote-by-mail for the upcoming elections.”
In an April 30 letter, the members urge New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal to follow up after voter fraud charges were brought against Elmwood Park’s former mayor Francesco “Frank” Caramagna.
They also want scrutiny into last fall’s Westwood council election, which was decided this February in Superior Court after now-Council President Ray Arroyo won his bid to kick out three mail-in ballots separating him from a win initially racked up for Democratic challenger James Whelan.
Signing the letter were Holly Schepisi (39-River Vale), Robert Auth (39-Old Tappan), Christopher DePhillips (40-Wyckoff), and Kevin Rooney (40-Wyckoff),
Schepisi and Auth face a challenge in this year’s election from Westwood Mayor John Birkner Jr. and Emerson Council President Gerald Falotico, both Democrats.
In August 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law automatically directing vote-by-mail ballots to voters if that’s how they cast their ballots in the 2016 election.
These voters continue to get ballots by mail for every election unless they opt out in writing with their county clerk.
Proponents said the rule would enfranchise voters; critics said it would lead to confusion.
Caramagna, 74, was arrested April 29, a day after he resigned. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said he interfered in the 2017 mayoral election. He had just became the first Democratic mayor of the borough in 47 years.
The lawmakers reminded Grewal that he’s said “Voting is a linchpin of democracy, and protecting the rights of our voters and the integrity of our elections must be resolved promptly and fairly.”
They added, “We each expressed concerns regarding the need for proper procedures to be implemented to ensure no corruption of the election process. Unfortunately we now have several examples of why your office must take an active role in investigating any and all allegations of voter fraud throughout our state.”
In addition to the cases in Elmwood Park and Westwood, the Assembly members want Grewal to look at how vote-by-mail was used elsewhere, saying the U.S. Attorney’s office recently charged a Hoboken resident with offering voters $50 to apply for and cast mail-in ballots in the November 2013 Hoboken municipal election.
In Westwood, the lawmakers said, “unlawful and fraudulent vote-by-mail ballots” were involved in a squeaker vote that seemed to oust Arroyo, a two-term councilman.
Asked about allegations of fraud in the council race, Democratic Municipal Chairman Eric Martinez, who led Whelan’s campaign, told Pascack Press on Jan. 3, “I believe these accusations are both unfair and unjustifiable. Their attempt to discredit our hard work simply sounds like sour grapes.”
He said “Westwood voters were ready for change on the dais. These are simply desperation attempts by the Westwood Republicans to hold onto power by any means necessary.”
Arroyo went to court to challenge mail-in ballots, finding less than a handful of instances where former residents were mailed mail-in ballots and cast them for his opponent.
Testimony showed those voters appeared confused about their residency.
In the trial’s closing arguments John Shahdanian, an attorney representing Whelan, said that the voters Arroyo challenged are in their mid-to-late 20s and part of a “transient” generation.
He suggested, “Home is where the heart is.”
That didn’t impress Judge Estela M. De La Cruz, who in her written opinion of Feb. 6 reversed the race. Arroyo, a popular figure, was seated for his third term and promptly elected council president.
On social media, several supporters of Arroyo then suggested the screened votes should be looked at more closely. One wrote on a Pascack Press comment thread, “And what will be the penalty for these offenders???? They certainly deserve punishment.”
In the Republican Assembly members’ letter to Grewal, they said, “Coincidentally, last year county election officials were forced to quickly implement laws automatically providing vote by mail voters a ballot unless they opt out. As we have now seen first hand vote-by-mail ballots provide easy opportunities for fraud and the hastily implemented changes have only lead to more confusion by officials and voters.”
Ultimately, they said, “We request that you provide legal advice and guidelines for the N.J. Division of Elections to issue rules for county superintendents of elections on handling the vote by mail process to ensure a fair and secure process. We also request a thorough investigation of any and all allegations raised regarding voter fraud.”
Pascack Press reached out to Schepisi May 1 to point out that she allows that the law change created “confusion” among some voters.
“That being the case,” we asked, “how closely do you want Grewal to look at those whose votes for James Whelan were kicked out?”
At press time she had not replied.
