BLOOMINGBURG, N.Y. -- Community members in Sullivan County are speaking out against alleged voter fraud taking placing in Bloomingburg.
“We felt that we needed to take to the streets and protest in front of the DA’s office and explain to him that we need something to be done because our rights are being trampled on,” said Lesleigh Weinstein, a Bloomingburg resident.
Lesleigh Weinstein was one of dozens of protesters at the Sullivan County Court House on Tuesday.
They're calling on District Attorney James Farrell to looking into alleged voter fraud in Bloomingburg.
“We’re extremely concerned that the people who did not live in our town or village casting votes in local elections," said Matt Taylor, with the Mamakating Town Council. "No one should be able to stuff the ballot box of America in 2015.”
They say the District Attorney has not done enough to investigate.
“For all intended purposes, nothing has been done yet,” Weinstein said.
“We need help and we don’t know why nobody is helping,” said Pat Kahn, a Mamakating Resident.
In January, the County Board of Elections provided 184 notices to registered voters with the intention to cancel their voter registration.
One hundred sixty of those notices went to Hasidic Jews, who in turn filed a lawsuit against the Board of Elections earlier this month, citing religious discrimination.
“We respect the Sullivan County Board of Elections for its commitment to ensure that all those who are eligible to vote, can vote,” said Brenda Giraldi with the Mamakating Town Council.
Some of the conflict in this case comes from the group Rural Community Coalition’s fight against the building of a 396-home Hasidic housing development in the village.
But protesters say anti-Semitism has nothing to do with the alleged matter.
“We will do everything we can to uphold the integrity of the democratic voting system and to ensure that Bloomingburg residents are not disenfranchised,” Giraldi said.
“For everybody to follow the law, to follow the law," Kahn said. "Why should the law only apply to some people and not to everybody?”
Attempts were made to reach the District Attorney's office for a comment and so far, those messages have not yet been returned.