HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — Some Hamburg-area residents are receiving letters from the conservative nonprofit Judicial Watch asking them to confirm their citizenship ahead of the upcoming election.
The Washington, D.C.-based group states it fights for transparency and integrity in government. However, the Republican Commissioner of the Erie County Board of Elections and a political science expert are raising concerns about the letters' messaging.
Hamburg resident, Tim Meehan, received two different letters within the last month.
"This one just read like a phishing email. I mean, it all caps 'time sensitive' makes you feel scared of everything, and then both support the Save Act. It was just, yeah, just total bull crap, and I reached out to you guys," Meehan said.
The letters state "a hidden threat to our elections is a gaping hole in American law allowing illegal aliens and other ineligible residents to vote in the U.S. elections."
Meehan said he worries others may not recognize the letters as unofficial.
"I'm sure there are a ton of people out there still that think that whatever they get in the mail from something that looks official like the Census Bureau, 'quote unquote' here, is legit. This is obviously not," Meehan said.
Ralph Mohr, the Republican commissioner of the Erie County Board of Elections, has held the position for 33 years. He said there has never been a problem in Erie County with election results. He also pushed back on the framing of the letters.
"To try to fundraise off of it by scaring the residents of Erie County in Western New York to believe that it is a problem is really not very ethical," Mohr said.
When asked whether the letters accurately explain how voter registration works in New York State, Mohr said they do not.
Dr. Jacob Neiheisel, an associate professor in the University at Buffalo's Department of Political Science, offered a measured take on the state of U.S. elections.
"Are American elections perfect? Certainly not. There are things that we could be doing better but I don't to characterize it as some kind of ticking time bomb, I don't know that that's necessarily the case," Neiheisel said.
Neiheisel said awareness of an organization's intent is key to understanding the influence these types of letters can have.
"How they are to be differentiated from an actual public opinion poll that a reputable organization might be looking to send out. I'm not saying that the organization here is disreputable or anything like that. It's just not somebody who cares about opinion. They care about shaping opinion," Neiheisel said.
I contacted Judicial Watch for comment and have yet to receive a response.
Mohr encouraged anyone with concerns to contact the Erie County Board of Elections directly.
"We urge them to call the Board of Elections. We've invited individuals down to observe our process. We have outreach programs where we explain various procedures," Mohr said.
Residents who receive these letters are encouraged to reach out to their county board of elections by phone, email, or in person.
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