A judge has ruled that a new election will be held in November for a disputed Paterson City Council seat, just weeks after the race’s apparent winner and a sitting councilman were charged with voter fraud.

State Superior Court Judge Ernest Caposela issued his ruling Wednesday.

Alex Mendez had won a special election on May 12 to fill the seat, but claims of voter fraud were soon raised.

An investigation was then launched after the U.S. Postal Service’s law enforcement arm told the state attorney general’s office about hundreds of mail-in ballots located in a mailbox in Paterson, along with more found in nearby Haledon.

AP wire services helped contribute to this report.