Nominating petitions were submitted legally, judge rules

A state Supreme Court judge on April 30 rejected lawsuits filed by Republican voters and candidates around New York who sought to get Democratic candidates thrown off the Working Families Party ballot line in the November election.

The lawsuits, which were bundled into one case, attempted to disqualify the Working Families nominating petitions filed by Democratic candidates, including in Dutchess and Putnam counties, because party officials’ and notaries’ signatures were not “wet,” or originals, but submitted digitally.

Judge Scott DelConte ruled that the filings are legal, citing an executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year that allowed electronic notarization and witnessing of nominating petitions because of the pandemic.

“There is simply no support” for the petitioners’ arguments, based on the “plain and unambiguous” language of Cuomo’s order, DelConte wrote in his decision.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Simms has covered Beacon for The Current since 2015. He studied journalism at Appalachian State University and has reported for newspapers in North Carolina and Maryland. Location: Beacon. Languages: English. Area of expertise: Beacon politics