(Rapid Reports Photo , Benjamin Harris )
Hempstead School District Seeks New Election After Investigation Finds Ballot Irregularities
The Hempstead Union Free School District on Long Island is seeking to overturn the results of its May 19 Board of Education election after an internal investigation alleged significant irregularities involving absentee and early mail ballots.
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According to a 51-page petition filed with the New York State Education Department, district officials allege that District Clerk April Keys improperly handled official election materials, including absentee ballots, during the trustee election. The district is asking the state to invalidate the election results and order a new vote.
The petition alleges that official ballots were removed from the district clerk’s office and that absentee ballots were provided to incumbent board member Victor Pratt. Pratt, who won reelection by 81 votes, has not been convicted of any wrongdoing, and the allegations remain part of an ongoing legal and administrative process.
District attorneys argued in the filing that the reported irregularities were significant enough to undermine confidence in the election’s outcome.
As part of its request, the district is asking New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa to order a new election, appoint an independent district clerk to oversee the process, and have the New York Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau monitor the vote.
The investigation began after school officials identified what they described as unusual voting patterns involving absentee and early mail ballots. According to the petition, Pratt received a substantially larger share of absentee ballots than other candidates despite placing third in votes cast on voting machines.
Three days after the election, the district placed Clerk April Keys on administrative leave while the investigation continued.
According to the filing, Superintendent Gary Rush later entered the clerk’s office and reportedly discovered official election materials inside a garbage bag located in a trash container. District officials say the office was secured immediately, and the locks were replaced.
Investigators later recovered the discarded bag from an outdoor dumpster, where they reported finding cast ballots, unused ballots, election tally sheets, and shredded early mail ballot applications containing voter information.
The petition also alleges that dozens of completed early mail ballots delivered to the district on election night were not included in the final vote count. According to investigators, campaign representatives for one candidate said they submitted approximately 120 completed ballots, while only 79 were ultimately counted.
District officials further claim that surveillance footage captured the removal of election materials from the clerk’s office and reviewed additional security video as part of the investigation.
The New York State Education Department will determine whether the election results should be overturned and whether a new school board election will be held. Any potential criminal allegations would be handled separately by the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
The allegations outlined in the district’s petition have not been adjudicated in court, and no final determination has been made regarding the validity of the election or the conduct of those involved.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
Benjamin Harris is a RapidReports front page contributor and editor,proud father of four.
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