There might not be a GOP candidate for this year’s Niskayuna Town Supervisor Race. Supreme Court Justice Vincent Reilly Jr. ruled on Friday that the Niskayuna GOP committee submitted the wrong form to replace their original choice for Town Supervisor.
According to Mark Blanchfield, the attorney representing current Niskayuna Town Supervisor Joe Landry, the Niskayuna GOP Committee endeavored to substitute a new candidate to replace Jeffrey Frankel, who was originally running on the conservative line, with Donald Cromer.
To substitute a candidate you have to follow certain procedures, said Blanchfield.
To fill vacancies on a petition a special committee has to meet and the majority of the committee must decide on a candidate.
`It was very unclear from the paperwork that they submitted that that was what happened,` said Blanchfield.
`For a valid substitution to occur they have to sign it as members of the Committee to Fill Vacancies and attach an affidavit saying that the committee agreed to this,` said Blanchfield.
According to Blanchfield, a form was submitted that did not effectively substitute a candidate.
`As a consequence legal action was brought because everyone has to abide by the same laws and these guys didn’t abide by the law,` said Blanchfield.
`At this point there is still is a chance for Cromer to appear on the ballot,` said Blanchfield.
There is an Independent Nominating Petition that Cromer can circulate if he would like. He has until August 18th to collect the required number of signatures he needs and then resubmit it to the Schenectady County Board of Elections.
`There might be other people getting interested in the race as well,` said Blanchfield.
`Whoever wants to can run if they want to get in the race,` said Blanchfield.
Niskayuna Republican Chairman Michael Mansion was unavailable for comment.
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Thursday, Aug. 13 print edition of the Niskayuna Spotlight.
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