Breaking: Judge Throws Out All Ramapo Referendum Votes, Orders A Do-Over

State Supreme Court Justice Margaret Garvey has just invalidated the Town of Ramapo, New York's referendums on adopting a ward system and adding two members to the town board over confusion at polling places over who could vote and over when absentee ballots had to be filed, and ordered a new vote to held.

 

Judge Throws Out All Ramapo Referendum Votes, Orders A Do-Over
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

It’s a do-over.

State Supreme Court Justice Margaret Garvey has just invalidated the Town of Ramapo, New York's referendums on adopting a ward system and adding two members to the town board over confusion at polling places over who could vote and over when absentee ballots had to be filed, and ordered a new vote to held.

But Garvey dismissed allegations of fraud made by petitioners Michael Parietti and Robert Romanowski as hearsay, the Journal News reported.

"Specifically, the absentee ballot application, admittedly prepared by the Ramapo Town Clerk Christian Sampson stated to potential voters that absentee ballots would be counted so long as they were postmarked by September 29, 2014 and received no later than the 7th day after the election, [but the law requires that absentee ballots must be received by 5 pm on election day]”, Garvey ruled, adding that Sampson's mistakes in preparing and disseminating the absentee ballot applications were "so egregious and fundamental to the special town election process that it cannot be rectified.”

Garvey reportedly also ordered that all ballots be preserved in case her decision is appealed.

Meanwhile, it turns out that much of the money raised to try to block passage of the two referendums came from real estate developers through a group directly tied to top town employees.

Ramapo Democratic Party Chairwoman Mona Montal, who is also the town’s director of purchasing, sent a desperate email to developers and their consultants the day before the vote pleading for money to pay for anti-ward and anti-board-expansion literature. She noted most developers were giving tens of thousands of dollars, and told developers to write their checks immediately and the town's bond counsel, Teno West, would collect the checks.

The large and powerful haredi community opposed the ward system and the increase in town board members, and is closely tied to developers. Most non-haredim want to preserve Ramapo’s bucolic suburban nature, but haredi leaders strongly favor higher density housing and a much more urban environment.

[Hat Tip: Devorah.]

Comments

[Yitzchak Diamant]

Great!! I hope the Oilem won't be fooled next time and will understand that it's in their favor to vote YES so we can limit the madness that Monsey is becoming. It's really going out of proportion. Just try driving through the 59 on any Erev Shabbos or Chag. It's totally out of proportions, all because we are constantly bringing it more and more people from the City to congest out beautiful town. The people who suffer the most are the Monsey residents, and it's ironic that they are so gullible and are constantly fooled by the so-called "Askunim" (AKA contractors, builders and politicians...)

Do your Mishpacha a favor and vote YES next time, so we can have some other voices in town. They are not our enemies, even if the paper in Shul wants you to believe so!

[yehudis]

Now I know why Mona was given a 40% increase in pay by St. Lawrence. Yitzchak, I agree with you 100%. I always heard that the builders had St. Lawrence in their back pockets. I hope one day they get caught. I will do anything to avoid driving down Route 306. I was told to keep my hand close to the horn. Pre-St. Lawrence Ramapo was a beautiful town.
I'm glad to see that their are orthodox people that vote with their heads and don't vote the way they are told to. I received one call from an Orthodox Doctor giving reasons to vote yes. An intelligent person telling people to vote "yes". The "no" crowd uses fear to get the people to vote their way. They tell the people Preserve Ramapo will get rid of all the Shuls and Yeshivas, what nonsense.

[Devorah]

This is only good news if poll watchers are allowed at the second vote. St. Lawrence refused this time around. What would make him change his mind since he still would not be incarcerated by then?

[Ramapo Rob]

At every single election in Ramapo, the developers put out massive propaganda to convince the little people, those who have been trained to rely on someone else's judgment in all things, that if they don't vote the developer's choice, they will lose their religious freedoms, their "programs", their food stamps, their school bussing, their section 8, their shuls, their schools. Every election is the same thing. Money interests dressed up like "freedom of religion" issues. I write this as an Orthodox Jew. I am ashamed and embarrassed at what goes on around here. Surely Jews are smarter than this. But in Monsey, the flock of sheep has abandoned their own minds to the control of "askanim" and "rabbis" who are really front men for developers. And the town is turning into a horror. All along Union Road now, in Spring Valley, just beyond the borders of New Hempstead, they are building row after row of huge apartment houses. There is no way the roads can handle the population that is coming. St. Lawrence and the developers have destroyed much of Ramapo.

[Devorah]

Ramapo Rob, any leaks on the FBI raid? Someone must know something!

[n ' Aron d']

How stupid you people are. All blaming these terrible builders. These same horrible builders are the ones that built the house you live in. So why should they be stopped just after you moved in. Why can there be no growth. The promoters of the yes are outright jew haters although admittedly some of their best friends are jewish

[johnjill]

I guess the Hasidim will have to win again in Ramapo. So sad...

[Pearl of Wisdom]

Yeah...hope they spend another 170K on the redux. The County will run the next election with Poll Watchers present. Hopefully the secular voters will come out in even bigger numbers with all the negative publicity. Maybe the vote will take place on Election Day and save the taxpayers from having to pay twice. Paying twice for everything in Ramapo gets old.

[VOTER X]

FINALLY, a Judge who will do something about voter fraud !

[Jeff]

"The promoters of the yes are outright jew haters although admittedly some of their best friends are jewish"

This has been explained to you repeatedly. Your inability to get it is sad.

It's always the same with you people. Every, every time. Ive never seen an exception. Anything you want to do is morally right by definition, and anyone who opposes you is an antisemite or a self-hating Jew. It's pitiful.

[egar]

The vote re: ward system should be held along with (as part of) GENERAL ELECTION Tuesday, November 4th, 2014.

[yehudis]

N'Aron, I lived in a house in Ramapo that was built over 50 years ago on almost 3/4 of an acre. Most of the houses in my neighborhood were built around the same time on similar plots of land. On South Madison they are now building a 2 family house on .10 acres. Good luck to the firemen if they ever have to fight a fire. It is also any eyesore.
You call people stupid maybe you can tell us about your education. I would vote Yes and I consider myself a good Jew. I don't lie, cheat or steal. Can you write a blog without calling people Jew haters, self hating Jews or anti-semites? Your credibility is zilch. Johnjill, the whole area knows the women and men vote the way they are told to. They can't even state the reason for their vote. Very sad.

[Jewish Cynic]

And wait till they say there have to be massive tax/rate increases to upgrade the water and sewer systems...

[Jewish Cynic]

Wonder if they can pay for a $200.00 etrog with food stamps?

[n ' Aron d']

Hey Jeff this is not a moral issue. This is a community matter that is up for votes. Without any doubt a yes will be detrimental for the majority of orthodox jews and the primary reason for this referendum is for this sole purpose to take power away from this voters block.
so you say that this is done out of immense love of jews by thd save ramapo folks.
Yehudis I may not be as educated as you but I isn't stupid

[Jeff]

Utterly amazing - and you're representative of thousands who are as clueless as you are.

[dh]

"...I isn't stupid" Good one, lol. Yes, yes you is!

[n ' Aron d']

Jeff u r so brilliant clue me in. And dh not as stupid as u r but close cuz hey I am on this blog