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Dutchess commissioners refuse audit
The Dutchess County comptroller and its Board of Elections may need a judge to resolve a dispute over whether auditors can review records related to how the board pays election workers.
Dan Aymar-Blair, a Democrat who won reelection as comptroller in 2025, said in a news release on Monday (July 27) that he had subpoenaed the two elections commissioners, Erik Haight and Lisa Jessup, and other BOE employees because they have refused to provide records and allow interviews.
The subpoena, Aymar-Blair said, was the "last resort" in a battle that began April 24 when the BOE was notified that the comptroller was auditing its payroll process for election workers. The agency objected to the audit as "seeking operational information," which it claimed exceeds the comptroller's authority, he said.
"It is not the preference of the Comptroller's Office to obtain audit materials under threat of subpoena," said Aymar-Blair, who lives in Beacon and said the subpoena may be the first ever issued by the office.
That threat is unnecessary and illegal, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Haight and Jessup, who were appointed to their positions by the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively. Haight said that the board is relying on "common sense" and advice from the state Board of Elections in determining that it is improper for an elected official to "dictate" policies and procedures of a board "mandated to administer the very election that puts him in office."
In addition, Jessup said the Comptroller's Office already has BOE payroll records because it must review and approve payments to election workers.
By issuing a news release, Jessup said, Aymar-Blair "is seeking to discredit the Board of Elections" when there are "almost daily assaults on the credibility of our elections coming out of the Oval Office."
Both the Internal Revenue Service and the state board have audited the BOE's books, said Haight. The comptroller, by contrast, cannot "conduct a performance review under the guise of a financial audit," said Haight. "That responsibility rests solely with the state board."
According to the Dutchess County charter, the comptroller's duties include auditing the accounts "of all units" of county government. Those audits "offer recommendations for making government financial operations more efficient, a high priority for county taxpayers," said Aymar-Blair. Previous audits of the BOE took place in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2020, he said.
The Dutchess County comptroller and its Board of Elections may need a judge to resolve a dispute over whether auditors can review records related to how the board pays election workers.
Dan Aymar-Blair, a Democrat who won reelection as comptroller in 2025, said in a news release on Monday (July 27) that he had subpoenaed the two elections commissioners, Erik Haight and Lisa Jessup, and other BOE employees because they have refused to provide records and allow interviews.
The subpoena, Aymar-Blair said, was the "last resort" in a battle that began April 24 when the BOE was notified that the comptroller was auditing its payroll process for election workers. The agency objected to the audit as "seeking operational information," which it claimed exceeds the comptroller's authority, he said.
"It is not the preference of the Comptroller's Office to obtain audit materials under threat of subpoena," said Aymar-Blair, who lives in Beacon and said the subpoena may be the first ever issued by the office.
That threat is unnecessary and illegal, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Haight and Jessup, who were appointed to their positions by the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively. Haight said that the board is relying on "common sense" and advice from the state Board of Elections in determining that it is improper for an elected official to "dictate" policies and procedures of a board "mandated to administer the very election that puts him in office."
In addition, Jessup said the Comptroller's Office already has BOE payroll records because it must review and approve payments to election workers.
By issuing a news release, Jessup said, Aymar-Blair "is seeking to discredit the Board of Elections" when there are "almost daily assaults on the credibility of our elections coming out of the Oval Office."
Both the Internal Revenue Service and the state board have audited the BOE's books, said Haight. The comptroller, by contrast, cannot "conduct a performance review under the guise of a financial audit," said Haight. "That responsibility rests solely with the state board."
According to the Dutchess County charter, the comptroller's duties include auditing the accounts "of all units" of county government. Those audits "offer recommendations for making government financial operations more efficient, a high priority for county taxpayers," said Aymar-Blair. Previous audits of the BOE took place in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2020, he said.