Candidates’ petition appeals to be heard
Congressional hopefuls Diane Neal and Dal LaMagna have challenged rulings that would keep them off the ballot.
A court will hear an appeal early next month of the ruling that the nominating petitions of 19th Congressional District candidate Dal LaMagna are invalid.
LaMagna said Tuesday that he filed an appeal with state Supreme Court and it will be heard Sept. 7.
LaMagna and fellow independent candidate Diane Neal filed appeals after the state Board of Elections last week ruled their nominating petitions were invalid due to having insufficient signatures. Neal’s appeal is to be heard Thursday, Aug. 30.
According to the Board of Elections’ formal determination, LaMagna, of Clinton, filed a petition with 4,235 signatures to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Of those signatures, 1,592 were determined to be invalid, leaving him 857 signatures short of the 3,500 necessary to be on the ballot.
Neal, of Hurley, filed a petition with 4,181 signatures, but 1,852 were ruled invalid, according to the determination. That left her 1,171 signatures short of the 3,500 required.
A third independent candidate, Luisa Parker of Sullivan County, had her petitions ruled invalid in early August.
LaMagna filed to run on the “Hudson Valley Happiness” line in his bid for the congressional seat currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. John Faso. Neal, an actress who played prosecutor Casey Novak on the TV crime drama “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” filed to be on the “Friends of Diane Neal” line.
Faso, R-Kinderhook, is seeking a second term representing the 19th District. His election opponents, not including the independents, are Democrat Antonio Delgado of Rhinebeck and Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield of New Paltz.
The 19th Congressional District comprises all of Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Sullivan, Delaware, Schoharie and Otsego counties; most of Dutchess County; parts of Rensselaer and Montgomery counties; and a small section of Broome County.