POUGHKEEPSIE- Officials at the Dutchess County Board of Elections are warning residents about scammers who are going door to door impersonating election officials. While no reports of such activity have been made in Dutchess County, board officials are warning residents of these scammers because similar incidents have been reported in other counties.
Several months prior to the Dutchess County warning, Mid-Hudson News reported on investigators identifying themselves as employees of an election board. The story about the April incident in Orange County can be found here.*
According to election officials, the Dutchess County Board of Elections does not dispatch staff to canvass neighborhoods or challenge voters at their homes. The individuals reporting they are board staff in nearby jurisdictions have confronted voters, asked about their voter registration status, and in some cases, have accused the voter of committing a crime.
The Dutchess County Board of Elections is asking voters to report anyone who is going door to door claiming to be an elections official. Reports will be documented by the board and referred to law enforcement.
Voters can contact the Dutchess County Board of Elections at 845-486-2473 or by email at dutchesselections@dutchessny.
*No evidence discovered during the New Windsor claims of false impersonation were proven to be directly related to a specific campaign.
