TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. — A judge has overruled a Tompkins County Board of Elections decision that had disqualified District 5 candidate Keith Hannon from the ballot.
In late July, the Tompkins County Board of Elections held a hearing after a resident raised an objection to Hannon’s designating petitions. The objection was to a “material alteration without an explanation” on a page containing 20 signatures. The alteration appeared to be a mark by the number 20 on the first page.
The Board of Elections commissioners agreed with the objection and struck the page, which included 20 signatures. The loss of 20 signatures disqualified Hannon from the ballot because it brought his total number of signatures down to nine and he needed 13 to be on the ballot.
Related: Legislature candidate Keith Hannon may be off ballot on Independence line after objection to petition
But, Hannon appealed the decision in New York State Supreme Court and won. Judge Joseph Cassidy approved Hannon’s motions at a hearing Thursday in Tompkins County Court.
Hannon will now appear on the ballot on the Independence line and the newly founded Cayuga United Party, which he filed petitions for last week.
Hannon is running for District 5, which includes the Town of Ulysses, and part of Ithaca and Enfield. He is challenging Democratic and Working Parties candidate Anne Koreman. Jim Dennis, who currently holds the seat, is not seeking re-election.
In a statement on his website, Hannon thanked the court and his supporters.
“The appeal process cost us two things an independent campaign can ill afford: time and money. But we believed the board’s ruling was not only incorrect, but was a disservice to the people of our district who signed their name in hopes of having a contested election in November. We fought for those names the same way we will fight for the people of Enfield, Ithaca, and Ulysses if they do us the honor of electing us in November,” Hannon said.
Featured image: Legislature candidate Keith Hannon gives a statement after a Board of Elections hearing July 31.