State Senator Asks New York Attorney General to Investigate Mayoral Election

Sen. James Skoufis said the village of 4,000 in Orange County cannot be run like ’the Wild West' any longer.

A sign for the South Blooming Grove Village Hall in South Blooming Grove, N.Y., on Dec. 5, 2025. Oliver Mantyk/The Epoch Times

SOUTH BLOOMING GROVE, N.Y.–New York state Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat representing the Orange County area, has called on the state attorney general to invalidate a mayoral race in the Orange County village of South Blooming Grove.

Skoufis alleged in a Dec. 2 statement that the 4,000 residents of South Blooming Grove were subjected to an unfair and gamed election, in which the village government and mayor failed to adequately inform eligible voters of the election.

Skoufis said he started investigating the matter on Oct. 27 after receiving complaints from village residents saying they were unaware that an election had taken place. Skoufis believes that the Oct. 22 vote had been concealed and voter turnout suppressed.

“Whether in a village of approximately 4,000 residents or in a statewide election to represent over 19 million people, voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Any attempt to subvert the will of voters strips away this fundamental American right,” he said.

The government of South Blooming Grove told The Epoch Times on Dec. 8 that the village had “conducted its recent election in full accordance with all applicable laws and procedures.”

Mayor George Kalaj did not respond to a request for comment. He did not have any opponents in the race.

The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James did not respond to a request for comment.

A total of 132 voters cast ballots in the election for the mayor and two trustee positions—about a 3 percent turnout. The 2022 mayoral election attracted nearly 1,000 voters, according to local reports. A study by the Center for Effective Government found that local government elections generally attract about a 20 percent turnout.

Skoufis made another statement on Dec. 1 detailing what he alleged were actions to hide the election. He accused the village of violating village law, municipal home rule law, election law, and other codes.

A special meeting to change the election date from March to October was unnecessarily held, he said, and the public was only given one hour’s notice by a flyer posted on the village hall.

South Blooming Grove has a very large Hasidic-Jew population and sits close to Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic population center of about 33,000 people.

Skoufis said, “It is well known in the village that a significant portion of the Jewish community is oppositional to current leadership.”

The United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove told The Epoch Times on Dec. 8 that Kalaj has strong support from the Jewish community. The group is a nonprofit community-led organization that operates in South Blooming Grove and focuses on serving Hasidic Jew families with advocacy, education, and family services.

“The relationship between the community and village leadership is positive, collaborative, and grounded in years of cooperation. The Jewish community could not be more thankful for the mayor’s ongoing efforts and the respect he has shown toward their needs,” the organization stated.