A campaign postcard mailer, sent out days before the special election for Yorktown Supervisor, in support of democratic candidate Jann Mirchandani, violates NYS election law because it does not identify who paid for the ad and the postage.
The allegation was made by the Yorktown Republican Party. The postcard, pictured above, is a simple note for vote for Mirchandani. But at the bottom of the card, it says, Paid for by private citizens, not authoritized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.”
The is the violationm, according to Yorktown Republican Chair Kevin Byrnes. “If Jann Mirchandini cannot follow basic election law, how can she be expected to govern?” Yorktown Republican Chairman Kevin Byrnes charged. “This is a clear attempt to skirt the law to keep voters from knowing who is supporting the Mirchandini campaign. It is wrong, potentially illegal and a clear sign of the desperate tactics Ms. Mirchandini is willing to deploy in the waning days of her campaign.”
In a letter to the New York State Board of Elections Enforcement Counsel Byrnes stated, “The attached mailer has been received by voters in Yorktown advocating for Jann Mirchandini for Town Supervisor. The disclosure of who paid for this political mail, which is required by New York State Law, is a clear and willful attempt to violate the law.”
§ 14-106(2) states: 2. All political committees that make an expenditure for a political communication shall be required to disclose the identity of the political committee which made the expenditure for such political communication. The disclosure on printed or digital political communications, including but not limited to brochures, flyers, posters, mailings, or internet advertising shall be printed or typed in an appropriate legible form to read as follows: “Paid for by:” followed by the name of the political committee making the expenditure.
Byrnes added, “The residents of Yorktown deserve a Supervisor who knows the laws and who people can trust. Jann Mirchandani just proved to everyone that she is not that candidate.”
