A city councilman in Troy and an elections commissioner for Rensselaer County face charges that they forged absentee ballots in a Working Families Party primary in 2009.
A county grand jury has accused Councilman Michael LoPorto and Commissioner Edward G. McDonough of participating in a scheme in which dozens of bogus absentee ballots were submitted in the names of unsuspecting Troy residents.
LoPorto and McDonough were arraigned Friday and are now free on bail.
Their lawyers say they are innocent and broke no laws.
Special Prosecutor Trey Smith began investigating after the Times Union, of Albany, interviewed a number of people who were surprised to learn that their names had appeared on ballot applications.
Both men remain in office.
2 Upstate Dems Charged With Forging Ballots
Copyright AP - Associated Press
