Abinanti Denies Allegations Of Electioneering Violations

Tom Abinanti, a candidate for Mount Pleasant supervisor, is facing allegations that he broke state election rules by giving out campaign materials near a polling place. According to The Examiner News, Abinanti visited the Mount Pleasant Community Center, where early voting was taking place. He claims he only stopped by to visit seniors and did not interfere with voters.

Abinanti says he went to the community center to cast his own vote, then returned to chat with seniors who were having lunch. He reports that he briefly entered a room where seniors were playing bingo, but left to avoid disturbing them. He then visited another room where people were playing cards and offered them campaign literature.

The Mount Pleasant Republican Committee has filed a complaint with the Westchester County Board of Elections, accusing Abinanti of disregarding instructions to leave the area and distributing campaign materials within 100 feet of the polling place entrance. The committee claims Abinanti continued campaigning even after being warned that he was in a restricted area.

Abinanti's opponent, Republican Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi, says community center employees told him about the incident. Fulgenzi claims that Abinanti was asked to leave the senior rooms but did not immediately comply. He also says that Abinanti was captured on video handing out campaign literature as he left the building.

Abinanti disputes this account, saying that he was approached by a Republican operative who told him to move farther away from the polling place. He claims that he complied with her request and moved to a location that he believed was outside the 100-foot restricted zone. Abinanti says he is familiar with election laws and did not break any rules.

The Westchester County Board of Elections will review the allegations, but it is unclear what action will be taken. Fulgenzi notes that electioneering within the restricted area is generally considered a misdemeanor, but he acknowledges that no further action may be taken.

Abinanti has dismissed the allegations as a political tactic, saying that the complaint is an attempt to distract voters from his opponent's record. He also accuses Fulgenzi of using town resources for political purposes, citing his use of the town email account and participation in a candidate forum from his Town Hall office.