Update on one of the NY Vote Fraud Cases

More details have emerged in the case against Democratic Dutchess County New York Election Official Frances Knapp.  Knapp, you may recall, is the election commissioner who was indicted recently on over 90 counts by Dutchess County prosecutors.

In a filing last week with the court, Dutchess County prosecutors described in detail the actions taken by Knapp that led to the charges against her.  According to the document, Knapp orchestrated a massive absentee ballot fraud effort in an attempt to alter the outcome of races in the City of Poughkeepsie.  Knapp is alleged to have illegally diverted absentee ballots to an "agent" and not the voter who requested the absentee ballot.  The "agent" then had voters sign the absentee envelope without ever voting or even seeing the ballot.  Voters who were victims of this fraud lived at the Maplewood senior apartment complex in Poughkeepsie, the same apartment complex Knapp manages in her second job.

In addition to the allegations of absentee ballot fraud, Knapp is also accused of signing and filing a poll watcher certificate for an insurgent Republican candidate.  Under New York State Election Law, only a party chair or head of an independent political body may sign and authorize a poll watcher certificate.  

Finally, Knapp is accused of forging a signature in 2010 on the campaign finance filings for her husband Fred's mayoral campaign committee.

Knapp is due back in court on November 19.