Nassau County Employee Tampered With Sample Election Ballots: DA

A Garden City man who was overseeing the September primary in a polling place in Seaford was arrested and charged with official misconduct and electioneering after complaints were received that he tampered with sample ballots.

“This defendant allegedly abused his access as a county employee and paid elections inspector to distribute altered sample ballots at a poll workers’ table in an illegal effort to help his boss’ campaign,” said District Attorney Madeline Singas. “Our investigation of this matter uncovered troubling deficiencies in controls and oversight at the Board of Election that allowed this conduct to occur, and I hope this prosecution will send a strong message that we have no tolerance for any effort to deprive the people of Nassau County of their right to free and fair elections.”

Jonathan Maldonado, 36, an employee of the Nassau County Clerk, also worked for the Board of Elections as chairperson of the Board of Inspectors for the East Broadway Elementary School polling place in Seaford. On Sept. 12, 2017, Maldonado was overseeing the primary election at the location between Republicans James Coll and John Ferretti for Nassau County’s 15th Legislative District.

At the time of the election, both Maldonado and Ferretti worked together at the Office of the Nassau County Clerk. Maldonado, who holds the civil service title of chauffeur at the clerk’s office, had campaigned for his co-worker and served as the president of the Levittown South-North Wantagh Republican Club.

As a duly appointed chairperson, Maldonado's responsibilities included accounting for and distributing all election district materials, ensuring the completion of required forms, making inspector duty assignments, making sure payroll was signed and returning supplies to the police precinct.

The Nassau County Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office were both alerted on the day of the primary to possible election fraud occurring at the East Broadway School. The police department recovered approximately 511 altered sample ballots from the location and safeguarded them, and an investigation was initiated by the NCDA.

Based on the investigation, Singas said that Maldonado allegedly placed a stack of altered sample ballots on top of a poll workers’ table with the intent to influence voters. The sample ballots were altered to include the words “Fill in Oval Here” handwritten in the margin, with an arrow pointing from the handwritten words to the filled oval which indicated a vote for Ferretti. The investigation also found that an identically-altered sample ballot was distributed with Ferretti campaign literature.

Maldonado was charged with official misconduct and two counts of misdemeanors at, or in connection with, primary elections, caucuses, enrollment in political parties, committees and convention. Both are misdemeanors. Maldonado was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on April 27. He could face up to a year in jail.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office.