Candidate complains of ballot tampering

[Octavia]

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.

[Klap Bak]

Originally Posted by Octavia

….. Quintana, who was joined by his Assembly running mates Carlotta Hall and Bessie Walker….

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.

So let me see…….

• They took her ballot

• Changed it to a vote for their candidates

• Then promptly returned the tampered ballots (((with a vote for their candidates)))) to Ms. Flores.

Hhhhhhhuuuuuuuummmmmmmm

Maybe I am missing something here, but if I went to the length of changing a ballot to a vote that supports MY CANDIDATE(S)……..there is no way in he!! I would return it to the voter. Why would I….the vote is now for my candidate…..I would sent it on in.

Oh well,,,,this kinda explains why they are the line F candidates.

…….Klap has some special words that begin with F……what are they…..let’s see:::::

[northnewarker]

Originally Posted by Klap Bak

So let me see…….

• They took her ballot

• Changed it to a vote for their candidates

• Then promptly returned the tampered ballots (((with a vote for their candidates)))) to Ms. Flores.

Hhhhhhhuuuuuuuummmmmmmm

Maybe I am missing something here, but if I went to the length of changing a ballot to a vote that supports MY CANDIDATE(S)……..there is no way in he!! I would return it to the voter. Why would I….the vote is now for my candidate…..I would sent it on in.

Oh well,,,,this kinda explains why they are the line F candidates.

…….Klap has some special words that begin with F……what are they…..let’s see:::::
Attachment 1071

is truly clueless. Even his accusations, as well as his sentences, are incoherent. AS I said when you know you are defeated, you attack the process.

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by northnewarker

is truly clueless. Even his accusations, as well as his sentences, are incoherent. AS I said when you know you are defeated, you attack the process.

You are full of it.....let's be clear here it is not Luis making this claim Ms. Flores is.....are you telling me they do not collect absentee ballots in the North Ward? dont' try and deny it and if so is this not illegal why no comment from Santana if she is lying? If the ballot did not come back in the mail by accident this would have never been discoverd Ms. Flores is not lying.

[Inkwell]

Originally Posted by counterattack

You are full of it.....let's be clear here it is not Luis making this claim Ms. Flores is.....are you telling me they do not collect absentee ballots in the North Ward? dont' try and deny it and if so is this not illegal why no comment from Santana if she is lying? If the ballot did not come back in the mail by accident this would have never been discoverd Ms. Flores is not lying.

Personally, I'm impressed that she went public with this. Everyone is told, by the Star Ledger, who the North Ward "powerbroker" is, and the county is made up by a large percentage of his followers. So these accusations aren't a stretch of the imagination. Are there any "home visits" experienced in the other Wards? Just wondering.

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by Inkwell

Personally, I'm impressed that she went public with this. Everyone is told, by the Star Ledger, who the North Ward "powerbroker" is, and the county is made up by a large percentage of his followers. So these accusations aren't a stretch of the imagination. Are there any "home visits" experienced in the other Wards? Just wondering.

Listen Steve has a good get out to vote operation if not the best in the City. However it is tactics like this that have been going on for sometime in the North Ward with Cassiano's blessing I might add. Does Steve really need to do this to beat Luis? probably not, but if he thinks it will be a close election then collecting absentee ballots is the way to go.

[northnewarker]

Originally Posted by counterattack

You are full of it.....let's be clear here it is not Luis making this claim Ms. Flores is.....are you telling me they do not collect absentee ballots in the North Ward? dont' try and deny it and if so is this not illegal why no comment from Santana if she is lying? If the ballot did not come back in the mail by accident this would have never been discoverd Ms. Flores is not lying.

to believe that she was put up by the Quintana camp??? Read Klap's posting on the issue. It says it all. Since when did collecting absentee ballots become illegal???? If you knew your politicics and law, you would know better. You can even designate someone to act as your messenger and hand deliver it as well. Again when you know your defeated, and you and your union have experience with this, you try and discredit the process. Learn the laws before you make coments on them.

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by northnewarker

to believe that she was put up by the Quintana camp??? Read Klap's posting on the issue. It says it all. Since when did collecting absentee ballots become illegal???? If you knew your politicics and law, you would know better. You can even designate someone to act as your messenger and hand deliver it as well. Again when you know your defeated, and you and your union have experience with this, you try and discredit the process. Learn the laws before you make coments on them.

Like I am going to believe Klap's lying *ss you a joke it is illegal to turn in absentee ballots in bulk. By the way chump it is your boss that's nervous as hell of losing to Luis he has talked to every African American leader including Fredrica Bey, and Gibson and Co to ask for help, heres the thing if we loose we live to fight another day if Steve looses....well you get the picture.

[blueyeboy65]

Quintana is TOUGH. He must be Ruiz nightmare, I did hear some old folks complaining about the elections and voting. If some people aren't interested in voting or politics they should not be disturbed. It may or may not be true, but if it's true, using elder folks is straight up shameful!