On June 17th, Black Westchester Publisher, “Two separate complaints—one dated February 28, 2025, and another on June 12, 2025—have been submitted to the Westchester County Board of Elections and local Democratic officials, yet neither has received a response. The February letter detailed allegations that Plummer no longer resides at his claimed address of 14–16 Martens Place in Mount Vernon and has not lived there for several years. The more recent June letter included a text message from Plummer himself, in which he clearly admits that he and his wife do not live in Mount Vernon. Despite this written admission, Democratic leadership has failed to take any action or even acknowledge receipt of the complaints,” in his column From The Publisher’s Desk, titled What Is The Democratic Party Hiding” Kenny Plummer Case Ignored Despite Evidence & Legal Precedent.
On Wednesday, June 18th, at around 4:43 PM, BOE Democratic Election Commissioner Tajian Nelson contacted Black Westchester to rectify the situation and make things clear. First thing is the accusation of not responding to the February 28th and June 12th complaints that were emailed to her.
Commissioner Nelson shared with Black Westchester her responses. To the February 28, 2025, email, Nelson responded a little over two weeks later on Monday, March 17, 2025, 12:37 PM and furnished Black Westchester with the email. To the June 12, 2025, email, while there was no response before the BW Publisher wrote his editorial on June 17th (5 days after the email), Ms. Nelson did respond on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 11:59 AM. Commissioner Nelson shared with Black Westchester that she received the email 5 days before the editorial was written and hadn’t had a chance to respond yet.
“The Board is under no specific timeline to respond to you, as this was not a FOIL request, which would have required a response to you within 5 business days,” Commissioner Nelson stated in the June 18th response. In both emails, Commissioner Nelson responded,
Please be advised that NYS Election Law does not allow the Board of Elections to arbitrarily cancel or change a voter’s registration status. Please see below the NYS Election Law §5-220 regarding registration challenges. I am attaching the post-registration challenge affidavit form for your completion. Once our office has received a properly completed form, we will proceed with an investigation regarding Kenneth Plummer’s registration status. After the investigation is concluded, if the findings determine that Mr. Plummer does not reside at his address in the City of Mount Vernon, the Board per NYS Election Law will proceed with the cancellation of his registration at that address.
NYS Election Law §5-220. Registration; challenge after registered
1. Any person may challenge the registration of a voter by executing and delivering to the board of elections or a board taking registrations his affidavit that he had reason to believe that such voter’s registration should be cancelled. Such affidavit shall contain the affiant’s full name, residence, and business address, the name of his employer, the registration serial number of the person challenged and a recital of the reasons and the facts supporting affiant’s belief that the person challenged lacks the qualifications for voting prescribed in this chapter and specified in such affidavit. The affidavit shall state if the reasons for challenge are based upon the affiant’s personal knowledge or upon information received from another person. If the affiant’s belief is based upon information furnished by another, the affidavit shall recite the name of the person furnishing the information and the basis for his information. After the affiant has signed such affidavit a member of such board shall read to him and request him to sign the following oath, which shall be subscribed by such affiant: ‘‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that the foregoing statement made by me on (insert day, month and year) is a truthful disclosure of the reasons for my belief that the registered voter therein named is not qualified to continue to be registered in the election district in which he is now registered.’’ If the affiant shall take and sign such oath, the members of the board shall sign their names as witnesses below the affiant’s subscription to such oath. Each such affidavit shall be directed toward the challenge of only one registrant. The board shall give full assistance to any person desiring to execute such an affidavit. The board of elections shall furnish the necessary forms. Upon receipt of such affidavit, the board of elections forthwith shall conduct an investigation of the voter’s qualifications to remain registered in the same manner as provided for applications for personal registration by mail. Any person whose registration is so challenged shall be notified thereof by the board of elections by registered or certified mail within five days after the affidavit is received by it.
2. If the board of elections cannot complete its investigation, or cannot make a determination before the next election at which the registrant could vote, it shall place his name on a challenge list as a person to be challenged when voting.
It is beyond the purview of the Board to intercede in matters relating to Mr. Plummer’s status as a County Committee member “aka” District Leader in the City of Mount Vernon. Additionally, please note you will have to address that matter directly with the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee leadership.
I am also providing the section of the NYS Election law and additional information as it relates to eligibility for a County Committee member “aka” District leader.
According to NYS Election Law Section 2-104(1) of the New York State Election Law “Each member of a county committee shall be an enrolled voter of the party residing in the county and the assembly district from which or in the assembly district containing the election district in which such member is elected.” Therefore, a County Committee member is not required to live in the same municipality where they reside but can be a County Committee member in any municipality that includes their Assembly District. Sincerely, Commissioner Tajian Nelson
In the same email thread, it shows that Mount Vernon Democratic City (MVDCC) Chair Mary Graves also responded to the June 12th email three days later on Sunday, June 15, 2025, stating: In receipt of your letter regarding Kenny Plummer. My understanding your inquiry regarding Mr. Plummer’s residency would require a form to be filed with the Westchester County Board of Elections. I suggest you call the Westchester County Board of Elections to find out the proper form required for any action to be taken. I am not familiar with which form is required; otherwise, I would tell you which form to ask for and submit.
While I had Commissioner Nelson on the phone, I wanted clarification about Mr. Kenneth Plummer serving as an MVDCC District Leader but living in the City of White Plains. So since the City of Mount Vernon is in New York’s 89th State Assembly District and White Plains, NY is split between two New York State Assembly districts: Assembly District 88 and Assembly District 93, according to NYS Election Law Section 2-104(1) of the New York State Election Law,
“Each member of a county committee shall be an enrolled voter of the party residing in the county and the assembly district from which or in the assembly district containing the election district in which such member is elected.” Therefore, a County Committee member is not required to live in the same municipality where they reside but can be a County Committee member in any municipality that includes their Assembly District.
So for the record, Kenneth Plummer does not reside in the same Assembly District, he is not qualified to be a District Leader in the City of Mount Vernon. Anyone can challenge his residency, and here is the process
You must go to the Westchester County Board of Elections, located at 25 Quarropas St Unit 1, White Plains, and fill out the Post-Registration Challenge Affidavit New York State Election Law § 5-220 form (see below)
After filling out the affidavit in person it has to be signed following taking an oath: ‘‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that the foregoing statement made by me on (insert day, month and year) is a truthful disclosure of the reasons for my belief that the registered voter therein named is not qualified to continue to be registered in the election district in which he is now registered.’’
After the affiant shall take and sign such oath, the members of the board shall sign their names as witness. Again ANYONE can go to the BOE and make a formal complaint in person by filling out the above form.
Once that is done, “we will proceed with an investigation regarding Kenneth Plummer’s registration status. After the investigation is concluded, if the findings determine that Mr. Plummer does not reside at his address in the City of Mount Vernon, the Board per NYS Election Law will proceed with the cancellation of his registration at that address,” Commissioner Nelson shared with Black Westchester.
