PEEKSKILL, NY -- The attempt to create a third party line by city Republican/Conservative candidates to replace the Independence Line lost to Democrats has fallen short.
Peekskill Republican Party Chairman Vinnie Vesce issued a statement Friday saying the petition effort was unsuccessful.
"It has come to the attention of the Peekskill Republican and Conservative candidates that a grassroots petition drive to acquire an independent line in the upcoming Peekskill election has been negated as the County Board of Elections has determined that the valid number of signatures fell about 30 names short of what was required," Vesce said. "We are disappointed that this happened and we apologize to those who stepped forward and assisted in soliciting signatures in this effort."
The petition was submitted with 293 signatures but 118 were found invalid by the Board of Elections, leaving 175 valid signatures. The petition needed 264 signatures to be declared valid. Vecse said that mistakes were made by those carrying petitions.
"In their haste to assist in getting the Republican/Conservative candidates an additional independent party designation, rules that were unknown to some of the signers and those circulating the petitions were never properly explained," Vesce said. "Thus, some signatures were invalidated and the required number to secure an independent line fell short. For this, we are sorry and should a similar effort be made in the future, we will work much more closely with the citizens who set out to assist our candidates."
Vesce said Republican nominees Tony Washington, Joe Brady, Barbara Kerasiotes and Steve Woods will have the same number of lines on the ballot for people to vote for them on even if the independent petition effort had been successful since new election rules would have combined the Conservative line with the Progress 4 Peekskill line.
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