Despite a 12-hour day in court on Tuesday, Aug. 12, Joanne Yepsen will not be appearing on the Democratic primary ballot in September, according to a written release from the Saratoga Springs supervisor.
Albany State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly rendered the decision late in the day on Wednesday. On Aug. 4, the State Board of Elections invalidated enough of the over 1,300 signatures Yepsen collected to bring her 32 shy of the 1,000 required to run in the primary. She filed a motion to validate, and went to court hoping to overturn the decision on many of the signatures.
Signatures can be invalidated for a number of reasons. Signers must be registered to vote with the party in question, must live in the district, can sign only one candidate’s petition and must write their name and address exactly as they appear on the voter registration list.
Though Yepsen’s efforts validated many of her signatures, it was not enough to put her on the Sept. 9 ballot.
Although I am disappointed with the final outcome, we were able to validate many individuals’ signatures through our testimony, affidavits and mistakes found that would have been ignored had we not gone through the legal proceeding, wrote Yepsen. `I’m will to accept the outcome and have faith in the process.`
She expressed in her statement and an earlier interview that she is eager to get back to public service.
Two Republican candidates for the 20th Congressional District were ejected from their race in a similar fashion. Michael Rocque and John Wallace fell short of the required 1,250 signatures after the Board of Elections invalidated many on Aug. 4.
The court decision leaves Brian Premo of Brunswick and former Kirsten Gillibrand staffer Mike Russo of Saratoga fighting for the Democratic nomination in the 43rd.
Nassau Councilman Ray Seney and 112th District Assemblyman Roy McDonald are running as Republicans.
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