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from Ballot Access News
September 25th, 2009
New York state held primaries for partisan local office on September 15, in preparation for the November 3, 2009 general election. Write-in votes in the September primary are being tallied. In Putnam County, four write-in candidates seeking the Independence Party nomination for various local offices defeated their opponents, even though those opponents’ names were printed on the ballot. See this story [at LoHud.com].
(excerpt from) LoHud.com
Write-in voters reverse court results in some Putnam Independence races
By Michael Risinit / September 25, 2009
SOUTHEAST – In the war between the state and Putnam County Independence parties, it’s hard to say who came out on top.
Sure, the state party won an August lawsuit allowing only its endorsed candidates to appear on last week’s primary ballot. Turns out, though, that didn’t guarantee victory as four candidates supported by the county party won primaries by write-in votes.
“I think it clearly sends a message (to the state party): Stay out of Putnam politics,” said Carmel Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt, a Republican who got 81 write-in votes and bested Democrat Dave Wilson , who appeared on the ballot.
Schmitt was one of seven candidates endorsed by the Putnam party and knocked off the ballot by the August ruling. Schmitt; Suzanne McDonough, a Carmel Town Board candidate and registered Independence Party member; Patterson GOP Councilwoman Ginny Nacerino; and GOP Southeast Town Board candidate Elizabeth Hudak all received more write-in votes than their state-party-endorsed opponents who appeared on the ballot.
Filed under: 3rd party, Election 2009, elections, grassroots democracy, New York State Politics, News, politics, third party Tagged: | Independence Party, new york, primary, Putnam, Putnam County Independence Party, Suzzane McDonough
There’s more to the story than is posted there. The state Independence party stepped in to Putnam County to stop a Republican party takeover of the party’s committee and endorsements.