‘Signature’ effort to nix City Council run

A Queens City Council candidate is pushing to have incumbent Paul Vallone bounced from the Democratic ballot line over charges that signatures his campaign gathered were obtained “in violation of the law.”

Democratic challenger Paul Graziano claimed in a petition filed in Queens Supreme Court last week that there were enough problem signatures on Vallone’s petition to render it “invalid.”

“I wouldn’t be doing this unless these allegations were very, very serious,” Graziano said on Sunday. “The Supreme Court in Queens County has received our papers, and we look forward to presenting our case.”

Graziano’s petition is scheduled to be reviewed by the court Aug. 8.

It cites more than two dozen examples of issues with signatures the Vallone campaign gathered, includ- ing “alterations” made to the petition after witnesses signed off on it, people signing it more than once and signatures from people not registered to vote.

City Council candidates need a minimum of 450 valid signatures to appear as a Democrat on a ballot.

Vallone’s campaign claimed it had gathered more than 2,000 signatures — “almost five times the amount required” — and brushed off Graziano’s petition as without merit.

“His lawsuit, like his campaign, has no merit and will be dismissed,” said Vallone spokesman Lionel Morales.

But Graziano’s attorney, Martin Connor, suggested otherwise.

“If you prove enough fraud involving enough people, the court can invalidate the petition,” Connor said.