Paterson city officials say that about 19% of votes in the City Council election are disqualified.

The voting was done by mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Election officials say that they are not sure why some of the votes weren’t counted. They say that the reasons for disqualification are typically noted, but weren’t this time.

Officials have released 3,200 names of those with disqualified ballots – one of them state Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly.

“It’s very unnerving. What you have is voters who have become disenfranchised. They see someone who is an elected official’s vote being thrown out, it gives people more the reason to say, ‘my vote doesn’t matter,’” Wimberly says. “We’re at maybe sometimes 20% of the voters will come out. I am afraid that number can shrink because people do not have faith in the system.”

The list of those with disqualified votes also includes other community leaders and their family members.

Federal, state and county authorities are investigating possible irregularities in the election.