by admin | Nov 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
Ward System Case—Where We Are Now November 18, 2016, Michael Parietti & Robert Romanowski. Most of you know the story. After years of trying to prevent a vote on whether we should have a Ward System, the Town of Ramapo was ordered to hold a referendum on that question on September 30, 2014. On the ballot was whether the town should establish a ward system and divide the town into six separate districts (wards), each with its own representative on the Town Board. Terrified by the transparency and accountability that a ward system of government might bring to Ramapo, town officials concocted a scheme to influence the outcome of the referendum, promoting disinformation and an atmosphere of deliberately induced disorganization. This was done in the hopes of assuring a NO vote, but also to leave open an avenue to challenge a YES vote based on the chaos and confusion they themselves created. On the day of the referendum we went to court seeking an order to impound the ballot so the canvass (count) could be conducted in an orderly manner, not the Cirque de St. Lawrence free for all still reigning at the polls. Supreme Court Judge Margaret Garvey granted our request and ordered the Rockland County Sheriff to take custody of all ballots at the end of voting hours. Then, acting on her own initiative, Judge Garvey went a step further, voiding the entire referendum and ordering a revote. The Town appealed her decision and the Appellate Division Second Department ruled that the votes had to be counted before the result could be challenged. A canvass of the...
