The last time we reviewed Mount Vernon’s voter registration rolls, we identified registrations that remained listed as active even though the registrants had died—in at least one case, decades earlier. We also found individuals who had left Mount Vernon long ago but still appeared as active registrants, as well as numerous voters who remained in active status despite Board of Elections records indicating they had not voted in dozens of election cycles. That prompted a broader question: How does the Westchester County Board of Elections maintain its voter rolls, and is it following its own procedures and the law?
To answer that question, MVCIP has filed a comprehensive FOIL request seeking the Board of Elections’ written policies, procedures, training materials, compliance records, audits, and other documents relating to voter roll maintenance.
Once the requested records are produced, we’ll compare them with the requirements of New York Election Law and the National Voter Registration Act, both of which require election officials to maintain accurate voter registration lists while protecting eligible voters from being removed improperly.
If the records show that the Board’s own procedures are not being followed, we’ll present our findings to the Board and request corrective action. If necessary, we’ll evaluate what legal remedies may be available.
Accurate voter rolls are a basic part of election administration. Our goal is straightforward: determine what the law requires, determine what the Board says it does, determine what is actually happening, and make those findings public.
What happens next:
- Once records come back, we’ll review them against state and federal list-maintenance requirements under the National Voter Registration Act and NY Election Law.
- Where the BOE’s own stated procedures aren’t being followed, that becomes the basis for a formal demand that they act.
- If the BOE doesn’t respond adequately, we’ll look at what legal options are available to force compliance.
Clean rolls are a baseline requirement for a fair election — not a favor anyone owes us. Accurate records protect the rights of eligible voters, ensure election resources are allocated properly, and provide the public with confidence that elections are being administered fairly, consistently, and according to law. Those aren’t discretionary goals—they’re legal responsibilities. We’ll keep you posted as documents come in.
If you are interested in helping with this project by reviewing documents, researching election law, and/or writing about what you find, reach out to us at MVCIP.org.