Octavia
10-30-2007, 04:40 AM
Campaign asks state to investigate charges
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
BY KATIE WANG
Star-Ledger Staff
Luis Quintana, one of the state Senate candidates in the 29th Legislative District race, is accusing an opponent of tampering with absen tee ballots and intimidating voters.
Quintana, who is also a Newark city councilman, is asking the state Attorney General's Office to investigate the allegations and collect all of the absentee ballots that have been mailed out.
"I believe that an investigation will show that there are many abuses," said Quintana, who was joined by his Assembly running mates Carlotta Hall and Bessie Walker at a news conference in Newark. "This isn't just about politics. This is about the abuse of power by individuals who believe that they can do and say anything they want because no one can stop them."
Quintana blamed Steve Adubato, the North Ward powerbroker who is backing Quintana's chief opponent, Teresa Ruiz, for the alleged fraud. Assemblyman William Payne, a Democrat who is running as an independent, is also vying for the seat being vacated by former Newark Mayor Sharpe James. Three other candidates are also running: Socialist Worker's Party candidate Sara Lobman, Republican Al-Samar Douglas and Pro Life Conservative Dick Hester.
David Wald, a spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, said the office received Quintana's letter and complaints.
"We received his letter, and we are reviewing it," Wald said.
Adubato denied the allegations and said Quintana is wasting his time.
"If you go to the press, you go for the political advantage," Adubato said. "He should work at trying to be elected."
According to resident Wanda Flores, a member of Ruiz's campaign dropped by her house on Oct. 12 and gave her an application for an absentee ballot. Five days later, she said the same man, Antonio Santana, returned and asked for her ballot.
Flores said she gave Santana her ballot and the ballots for four other relatives because she had never voted before and didn't realize where to send her absentee ballots. She said she wanted to vote by absentee because she cannot see clearly in the voting booth.
Several days later, she said three of the ballots were returned to her in the mail and appeared tampered with. When she opened one of them, she said her vote for Quintana, Walker and Hall had been changed to Ruiz and her run ningmates, Grace Spencer and Albert Coutinho.
Santana could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Flores said she did not know why the ballots were returned to her home. The ballots did not have a "Return to Sender" stamp on them.
Essex County Superintendent of Elections Carmen Casciano said there would be no reason for those ballots to go back to the voters.
"If it was mailed, it would go to the board of elections," Casciano said. "It would not go back to voters."
Casciano said his office has received the absentee ballots for Flores and Fabian Oquendo, another North Ward resident who also alleges Santana took his ballot.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
BY KATIE WANG
Star-Ledger Staff
Luis Quintana, one of the state Senate candidates in the 29th Legislative District race, is accusing an opponent of tampering with absen tee ballots and intimidating voters.
Quintana, who is also a Newark city councilman, is asking the state Attorney General's Office to investigate the allegations and collect all of the absentee ballots that have been mailed out.
"I believe that an investigation will show that there are many abuses," said Quintana, who was joined by his Assembly running mates Carlotta Hall and Bessie Walker at a news conference in Newark. "This isn't just about politics. This is about the abuse of power by individuals who believe that they can do and say anything they want because no one can stop them."
Quintana blamed Steve Adubato, the North Ward powerbroker who is backing Quintana's chief opponent, Teresa Ruiz, for the alleged fraud. Assemblyman William Payne, a Democrat who is running as an independent, is also vying for the seat being vacated by former Newark Mayor Sharpe James. Three other candidates are also running: Socialist Worker's Party candidate Sara Lobman, Republican Al-Samar Douglas and Pro Life Conservative Dick Hester.
David Wald, a spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, said the office received Quintana's letter and complaints.
"We received his letter, and we are reviewing it," Wald said.
Adubato denied the allegations and said Quintana is wasting his time.
"If you go to the press, you go for the political advantage," Adubato said. "He should work at trying to be elected."
According to resident Wanda Flores, a member of Ruiz's campaign dropped by her house on Oct. 12 and gave her an application for an absentee ballot. Five days later, she said the same man, Antonio Santana, returned and asked for her ballot.
Flores said she gave Santana her ballot and the ballots for four other relatives because she had never voted before and didn't realize where to send her absentee ballots. She said she wanted to vote by absentee because she cannot see clearly in the voting booth.
Several days later, she said three of the ballots were returned to her in the mail and appeared tampered with. When she opened one of them, she said her vote for Quintana, Walker and Hall had been changed to Ruiz and her run ningmates, Grace Spencer and Albert Coutinho.
Santana could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Flores said she did not know why the ballots were returned to her home. The ballots did not have a "Return to Sender" stamp on them.
Essex County Superintendent of Elections Carmen Casciano said there would be no reason for those ballots to go back to the voters.
"If it was mailed, it would go to the board of elections," Casciano said. "It would not go back to voters."
Casciano said his office has received the absentee ballots for Flores and Fabian Oquendo, another North Ward resident who also alleges Santana took his ballot.