POUGHKEEPSIE – Democratic Dutchess County Elections Commissioner Frances Knapp and former Republican Commissioner David Gamache were both indicted by a Dutchess County grand jury, following a lengthy investigation into Board of Elections irregularities.
Both were in county court for their arraignments as the indictments were unsealed.
Knapp was indicted on 46 felonies and 48 misdemeanors. The charges against Knapp stem from allegations that in August 2011 she permitted the names of voter agents for absentee ballots to be changed on the Board of Elections’ computer system without the absentee voter’s permission. Westchester County Court Judge Barry Warhit, sitting in Dutchess County Court, released her on her own recognizance.
Current Republican Elections Commissioner Erik Haight said Knapp deserves her day in court just like anyone else.
“Her many years of deceit and gross misconduct may have fooled the public up until now, but I highly doubt she will be able to fool a Dutchess County jury,” Haight said.
Gamache was indicted on one felony and three misdemeanor charges. He was charged with one felony count of misconduct of an elections officer for allegedly certifying votes in two Town of Pine Plains elections districts that reflected altered votes. He was also charged with a misdemeanor of unauthorized exercise of official functions and two misdemeanor counts of offering a false instrument for filing.
Gamache was also released on his own recognizance.