Part II - Skoufis Makes Referral to Attorney General to Invalidate VSBG's Illegal Election Results-Letter Attached

Senator James Skoufis (D-Orange County) has referred a trove of documents detailing irregularities and effective voter suppression in the Village of South Blooming Grove to the Attorney General’s office, urging them to invalidate the recent village election and pursue further investigation. 

Over the past month, the Senator’s office has fielded numerous complaints from village residents, many of whom were completely unaware of the October 22, 2025, village election. Several have also spoken of voter suppression and intimidation by local officials. These reports led the Senator to issue an investigative information and document request – under threat of subpoena – to the village on October 27. After reviewing responses received on October 31, the Senator followed up with a second solicitation on November 10 seeking additional documentation. 

“The totality of evidence is clear: the Village conspired to systematically conceal the October 22, 2025, election and suppress votes,” Senator Skoufis, who chairs the Senate’s Investigations and Government Operations Committee, wrote in his letter to the Attorney General. “Whether in a village of approximately 4,000 residents or in a statewide election to represent over 19 million people, voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Any attempt to subvert the will of voters strips away this fundamental American right.” 

The picture that continues to emerge is alarming: mounting violations of Village Law, Municipal Home Rule Law, Elections Law, Open Meetings Law, and more, unequivocally pointing to South Blooming Grove officials undermining free and fair elections on October 22. Only 132 voters cast ballots in the races for mayor and two trustee positions.

From the village’s botched attempt to change the length of terms for mayor and trustees in 2021 which has left voters without legally proper representation in recent years, to concealing a special board meeting and referendum in order to move village elections to the fall, to intentionally posting information about the October 22 election in a newspaper not circulated in the village, to allegedly falsifying absentee ballots, to improperly certifying election results, South Blooming Grove officials sought to intentionally “game” the system and artificially depress participation to extremely low levels – 6% of voters turned out. 

In his referral, the Senator specifically requests the Attorney General initiate a quo warranto proceeding, a legal action used to challenge a person's right to hold a public or corporate office.

“Residents of South Blooming Grove have had enough,” said Skoufis. “Despite officials’ efforts to the contrary, this village cannot be allowed to operate as the Wild West any longer. We are a nation – and a state – of laws. Robbing voters of their most fundamental democratic right is an unacceptable act, and village residents deserve nothing less than the truth alongside free and fair elections.”

As the Senator receives further information and tips, he will continue to refer documentation to the office of the AG.

Skoufis Letter to NY Office of the Attorney General