It's months before Election Day, but things are already heating up on Staten Island, as candidates in the district attorney's race are hurling allegations of fraud, and the matter will be investigated by a special prosecutor. NY1's Amanda Farinacci filed the following report.

It's a basic requirement for candidates running for office: obtain signatures of registered voters to qualify for the ballot. But in the race for Staten Island district attorney, some of those signatures could lead to criminal charges against the people who collected them. That's because several signatures were forged, some of them using the names of dead people.

"There are people wandering the streets maybe getting paid a dollar a name, and sometimes, they get desperate and make names up, or put the names of dead people down," said Richard Flanagan of the College of Staten Island.

The bogus John Hancocks were submitted on behalf of the Democratic candidate, Michael McMahon.

"Certainly, somebody who has had, who has been responsible for, ultimately, fraud, which took place on their campaign, should have instantly disavowed it, taken investigative steps, and he himself bring it to law enforcement," said Joan Illuzzi, McMahon's Republican opponent.

Illuzzi has requested that the Staten Island district attorney's office, which is run by a Republican, investigate. The DA's office, in turn, has asked that a special prosecutor handle the case.

McMahon admits that a company hired by local Democrats to gather signatures obtained some bad ones, and he vows to hold those responsible accountable.

His campaign tried to turn Illuzzi's complaint against her, saying, "It is disgraceful that Ms. Illuzzi-Orbon seeks to play politics with the office she seeks to lead."

Flanagan says the move could hurt Illuzzi.

"She has a reputation as being a bit litigious already with some lawsuits against the city," he said.

Illuzzi, however, doesn't see it that way. She says pursuing the issue is a worthwhile cause because it speaks to McMahon's lack of qualifications as a potential district attorney.

It's unclear exactly who will investigate and if this will have any impact in November. Some experts say voters simply might dismiss the gathering of forged sigantures as politics as usual.