POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Republican Committee claims a Democratic Dutchess County Legislator tampered with absentee ballots at a Wappingers Falls nursing home. According to the Republicans, who plan to present evidence to the Dutchess County DA’s Office today (Monday), Legislator Alix Winsby (District 14) and Wappinger Town Board candidate Hayden Kellermeyer were sitting at a table in the , without any residents or staff near them, while they wrote on absentee ballots for certain residents. A facility employee provided a photograph of the two Democrats working on ballots (see below).
Winsby is in a rematch of last year’s election, when she defeated Republican Lynne Miele-Versaci.
When asked Winsby about the incident, she said, “At the invitation of Sapphire Nursing, I assisted residents who had received official notice that their absentee ballot paperwork contained errors that needed to be corrected for their votes to count.” Winsby claims a Sapphire employee accompanied her throughout her visit to the facility.
Miele-Versaci responded to the evidence, saying, “This is unacceptable, if it’s true, and illegal.” The former legislator also said, “Any candidate who interferes with voting has no business in public office.”
Addressing the claim that she was filling out ballots for patients, Winsby said, “Residents who asked for help received it, and each of them made their own choices. The ballots are their own and remain confidential.”
The GOP also claims the two candidates did not sign the entry book, which all visitors must do.
Republican Election Law attorney John Ciampoli says the evidence is solid. “After reviewing the evidence, it appears to me that the ballots have been improperly handled and that warrants an investigation.” Asked why the evidence was being turned over to the District Attorney, Ciampoli said it has to do with investigative powers, noting that the DA can subpoena the ballots in question before they are opened.
Democratic Election Law attorney Michael Treybich, who also serves as counsel to the Dutchess County Legislature, said there was no tampering of the ballots. “The picture depicts Alix re-filling out a voter’s absentee ballot application so that in future elections, it will be mailed directly to the voter and will not have to be picked up by hand. After this picture, the voter reviewed and signed it.”
The picture, taken by a nursing home employee, shows Winsby (on right) writing on an absentee ballot:
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