Democrats and Republicans are working together across the state of New York to ensure that there can be only one government approved candidate on the ballot for local offices in November.
In Suffolk County, the petition of the Libertarian Party slate for Sheriff, District Attorney and County Treasurer have been challenged. The individual challenge comes from Rosemary Marchlowska, a Democratic Party State Committee member.
In Suffolk County, the Democrats and Republicans have cross-endorsed the same candidates for these three county offices. If the challenge is successful, voters will have no choice on the ballot in these races.
In the race for Rochester Commissioner of Schools, candidate Chris Edes, already on the ballot as a Democrat, had his Libertarian Party signatures challenged. That challenge comes from Mario Cruz, son of Democratic City Council candidate Jose Cruz.
Green Party candidate for Mayor of Rochester Alex White also had his petitions challenged. If the challenge is upheld, the mayor’s race will go uncontested.
“I’m running because no other party would put someone up to run against the Mayor,” White said. “Every politician, no matter what party, should be held accountable, including Mayor [Bob] Duffy. That is why I’m calling for all voters in the city to tell the Democratic machine that enough is enough. We want a choice at the ballot.”
Also challenged in Rochester is Diane Watkins, who is running for City Council. Watkins was successfully challenged off the Democratic primary ballot, so she mounted an independent petition effort using the party label Friends of Diane Watkins.
About the challenge, Watkins said, “it has become a way for candidates and local political party staffers to… eliminate their competition before voters have an opportunity to choose…. It is proving to be a way to usurp grassroots democratic voting processes in favor of a ‘who you know’ candidate selection process.”
Also, in North Castle in Westchester County, Libertarian candidates also are being challenged. Again, if these challenges are upheld, only one candidate would be on the general election ballot in these races.
“Democracy means choice, not a one-party state,” said Sean Haugh of Free & Equal Elections. “The voters must have an alternative to the Democratic and Republican duopoly that control the politics of the state.”
The Free & Equal Elections Foundation awaits news of the specific objections to the challenged petitions . Under New York state law, specific reasons for these challenges are due later this week.
