As in that old Timex watch advert, Suffern Mayor Dagan Lacorte takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
When we last left the Rockland County Executive race, Lacorte’s candidacy had apparently been KO’d by the Rockland Board of Elections ruling that he lacked the necessary 2,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Fellow Democratic candidate David Fried, a former county legislator himself, had challenged Lacorte’s signatures, leaving Lacorte a scant 24 short . (Note: the court sent a down a second, corrected ruling Tuesday, August 6, which narrowed Lacorte’s ballot margin)
The Suffern Mayor then took the matter to state court.
After reviewing each of the contested signatures, New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Loehr ruled Monday that Lacorte had enough valid signatures, and returned him to the ballot and the September 10 Democratic primary.
LoHud legal writer Steve Lieberman reported that the Fried campaign is currently reviewing the judge’s decision and mulling over whether it will appeal. On Wednesday, August 7, Fried’s campaign submitted a Notice of Appeal to Lacorte and the county attorney’s office that it would submit to the court on Thursday.
Fried said in a statement released Monday that he was “disappointed that the bipartisan determination of the Rockland County Board of Elections was overturned. The voters of Rockland deserve better from their candidates than the fraudulent petitions submitted by the campaigns of Dagan Lacorte and Vladimir Leon.”
Fried had also challenged Spring Valley political newcomer and Democratic candidate Vladimir Leon’s petitions, which the county Board of Elections had ruled invalid. Judge Loehr upheld enough signature challenges from the two-member Board’s decision, leaving Leon short of the necessary 2,000 to qualify for the primary. He is now officially off the ballot.
The entire ballot process is a navigational nightmare mostly formulated by those already in office — it often represents party politics at its most technical level. Petitions must be witnessed, have full addresses, party affiliations, and the witnesses must themselves include accurate information. Ts must be crossed and Is dotted.
When the Rockland County Board of Elections made its petition ruling in late July that knocked Lacorte off the ballot (albeit temporarily), Lacorte came out swinging against what he termed “political insiders” who “cling” to power through “patronage” and an entrenched county political system.
With the recent ruling, the three Democratic candidates due to duke it out front and center in the September 10 primary run-off now include Suffern Mayor Dagan Lacorte, Rockland County Legislator Ilan Schoenberger and David Fried.
Republican candidate for county executive Ed Day is currently in his own court fight related to a petition ballot challenge of potential Conservative Party candidate Simon Leschinsky. Day alleged petition irregularies. Leschinsky said “prove it.” And the two sides will face off in Judge Loehr’s court.
Photo of Suffern Mayor Dagan Lacorte used courtesy of the Lacorte campaign. Photo of David Fried campaigning.
Note: This article has been updated to reflect updated information related to the ruling and ballot challenge.
