The county Board of Elections in Ballston Spa has averted two of three anticipated Republican primaries in town supervisors’ races, invalidating challengers’ petitions in Charlton and Halfmoon.
But the board upheld the nominating petitions of Milton Supervisor Frank Thompson, meaning there will be a Sept. 13 between him and challenger Daniel Lewza.
The board invalidated the petitions of former Town Supervisor Paul St. John in Charlton, where he sought to unseat the current supervisor, Alan R. Grattidge.
The county’s Republican elections commissioner, Roger Schierra, said St. John’s petitions didn’t include the name of the town in which he was seeking office, as required by law. “The courts have held that is a fatal error,” he said.
St. John did not return a call seeking comment.
In Halfmoon, the board invalidated the petitions of Tammy Hinkell, who sought to challenge the current Republican supervisor, Mindy Wormuth.
Schierra said the commissioners, after reviewing objections filed by Wormuth supporters, found Hinkell’s petitions contained numerous signatures that were invalid: some weren’t registered Republicans, some weren’t registered to vote, and some had signed Wormuth’s petitions earlier.
“There were numerous challenges on various grounds,” Schierra said.
Hinkell could not be reached for comment.
Wormuth will still face an opponent in the November general election. The town Democrats have nominated Deanna L. Stephenson for supervisor.
The one supervisor primary that will go forward Sept. 13 will be the one between Thompson and Lewza.
Thompson, a three-term incumbent, has lost the support of the Milton Republican Committee, which this spring endorsed Lewza, who works for the state Assembly.
In other decisions involving smaller party ballot lines where primaries were possible, the Board of Elections invalidated the Independence Party petitions of Stillwater town justice candidate John F. VanAmburgh, and the Independence petitions of Arnold R. Palmer for a Ballston Town Board seat.
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