Dutchess County Voter Suppression: One Student's Perspective

by: Kanamit

Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 19:23:56 PM EST

Some background information is in order. Up until 2000, Dutchess County was one of very few counties, possibly the only county in the entire nation, to deny college students the right to vote where they resided nine months out of the year. About two or three years prior to that, a group of students attending Bard College and Vassar College filed a class-action lawsuit against the County Board of Elections to process the registrations of students without subjecting them to discriminatory practices designed to prevent their registration from being accepted. While the case was tied up in the courts, a bipartisan committee was formed by the County Legislature to review the issue of qualifications and procedures for college students who wish to vote in Dutchess County. It concluded that "As a society we should encourage every class of citizen to vote, and remove every impediment to voting for every class of citizen." Then Republican election commissioner Bill Paroli disagreed. Paroli, however, found himself preoccupied after he was arrested for fraud, extortion, and several other charges relating to corruption, and resigned in disgrace. Republicans chose current commissioner David Gamache (last seen refusing to do his job) to replace him, who eventually relented and began to process the registrations of students without discriminatory practices.

I am a student at Bard College, located in the Town of Red Hook. Like a lot of Dutchess County, and indeed, like much of rural New York in general, Red Hook is a traditional Republican stronghold which is rapidly trending Democratic. Bard routinely ranks as one of the most liberal colleges in the nation; as you might expect, we aren't exactly popular with the Red Hook GOP. Me and about a dozen other students volunteered our spare time on election day  to coordinate campus GOTV, keep track of student turnout, make sure that people can get to the polling place, etc.

Insane Ruling In Dutchess County: Brands, Ciampoli Strike Again

by: phillip anderson

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 17:24:43 PM EST

I hear that this is being appealed and I hope to have the ruling shortly.

UPDATE: Source says ruling now reversed.

Reversed. Not in writing yet but college kids can vote on machine if in book.

This should surprise no one as this ruling was completely insane. That said, I think it is high time we had a much, much closer look at the Ciampoli/Brands alliance here. It stinks to high heaven and has gone on for far too long. Sunshine, please.

More when I get it.

NY-20: Beware the "Pizza Stain" Judge

by: Hudson

Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 18:41:44 PM EDT

Many of us feel relatively confident of Scott Murphy's chances of winning the Congressional seat in NY-20. The numbers seem to stack up pretty well for him, when one examines where the votes are coming from.

The one shot that Tedisco might have is to have a hyperpartisan judge uphold the hundreds and hundreds of ballots his lawyers have speciously challenged.

And in Dutchess County Supreme Court judge James V. Brands, Tedisco may just have found his man...

Details (and what this has to do with pizza) after the jump...

NY-20: Breaking: Tedisco Preps For Loss, Filing Confirmed In Dutchess Co

by: phillip anderson

Tue Mar 31, 2009 at 16:19:15 PM EDT

Republican Jim Tedisco may be running for the House in a district where Republicans outnumber Democratic voters by some 70,000, but with the polls closing in a matter of hours, Tedisco's campaign is prepping for a loss.

An electoral loss, anyway.

The Dutchess County Clerk's Office has confirmed to FDL that Tedisco's people have filed an ex parte motion in order, the effect of which would be to investigate and overturn today's election results, should the outcome not be to Republicans' liking.

FDL is trying to obtain a copy of the motion and will post when available.

This filing come on the heels of a report that Tedisco's own polling has him losing to Democrat Scott Murphy by a narrow margin.

Developing, as they say...

Make some calls!

NY-20: Tedisco Allies File Suit Challenging Libertarian Candidate In Dutchess County

by: phillip anderson

Tue Mar 17, 2009 at 17:07:13 PM EDT

It's pretty obvious that Sundwall is going to hurt Tedisco more than Murphy and now the GOP machine is mobilizing to neutralize that threat. The hearing will be March 25th and I've uploaded the entire complaint (pdf) here.

Voter Suppression In Dutchess County?

by: phillip anderson

Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 09:46:25 AM EDT

KNAPP COMMITS TO PROCESS ALL VOTER REGISTRATIONS IMMEDIATELY

Fran Knapp, Democratic Elections Commissioner, announced today her total commitment to the people of Dutchess County that every person who has filed a voter registration form with the Board of elections will be registered to vote, have their name in the poll book and will be notified by mail of their correct polling location.

Knapp stated, "For the last several weeks, I have talked with frustrated citizens and concerned candidates who want to know if the Board has received their voter registration forms. I hear the concern and panic in their voices.  It has been difficult to respond to them since Mr. Gamache, the Republican Commissioner, has allowed  2700 voter registration forms to pile up in a basket because of his directive to personally review each and every registration. Today, we received an additional 300 voter registration forms. Democratic staff have approved all registrations and have been ready since August to enter them into our voter system but have been prohibited by the Republicans from registering these voters. This is wrong. This is voter suppression and cannot be allowed to continue."

Knapp went on to say, "Beginning Tuesday, I will instruct staff to enter any and all voter registrations into the voter system. With less than two weeks to the deadline,  staff will be required to work overtime in order to enter the huge backlog that Gamache's directive has caused. I have a responsibility and believe that election law supports my decision."

Knapp said, "Our office is receiving at least 100 voter registrations each day and I fully expect this number  to grow as the October 10th deadline approaches. If Gamache continues his hyper technical review of voter registration forms, citizens will not be registered and under NYS law cannot vote.  I cannot stand by and will not allow this to happen."

Knapp concluded, "It is truly unfortunate we are in this situation. Gamache has to be stopped and I applaud the citizens who have come forward to speak out about this injustice."

Either Gamache (R- FL 2000) can be shamed into, ya know, actually doing his job or this ends up in Federal Court.

Either way it's still pretty damn despicable.

You can give him a call, if you like:

845-486-2473
dgamache@co.dutchess.ny.us

DUCK! Dick's Got a Gun!

by: phillip anderson

Thu Oct 25, 2007 at 15:39:07 PM EDT

Exclusive: Cheney to hunt in Dutchess County again

Vice President Dick Cheney is coming to Dutchess County again to go hunting, according to two sources familiar with his plans. Cheney will arrive Sunday night and head to a hunting club in Dutchess Monday morning.

Cheney is expected to arrive Sunday night at Stewart airport and travel to a hotel in Poughkeepsie, sources said.

On Monday morning, he is expected to leave Poughkeepsie and head to the Clove Valley Rod & Gun Club in LaGrangeville.

And if I were caged game bird in Dutchess County, I'd be getting my affairs in order...