BALLOT ACCESS: Former Mayor Richard Thomas Has Strong Support, But He May Be Blocked From Getting On The Ballot.

 

From The Desk Of Mount Vernon Newswire Editor Brian Harrod.....

BOE BALLOT CHALLENGE: Board of Elections and its commissioners Reginald Lafayette says Richard Thomas submitted more than 1,000 nominating signatures, far more than the 300 required, but is being challenged by city residents John Carlo Bautista and Norina Clowney.... JOURNAL NEWS: Ex-mayor Richard Thomas files pre-emptive strike in race for Mount Vernon comptroller Former Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has gone to court to block a move to keep him off the ballot in the race for city comptroller. But a state judge on Tuesday dismissed his lawsuit as premature because the Westchester Board of Elections had not yet ruled on the objections to Thomas' nominating petitions. That is expected to happen by Friday. If the board invalidates enough of Thomas' signatures, state Supreme Court Justice Mary Smith has allowed the lawsuit to be refiled with another court hearing to follow on Monday. "I'm confident it's going to be a moot issue," Thomas' lawyer John Murtagh said of the court case after the virtual hearing with Smith. "We believe we have good signatures." Thomas was one of four candidates to file nominating petitions last month to run in the June 22 Democratic primary for comptroller. The others were the Rev. Darren Morton, Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard's chief of staff; city Council President Marcus Griffith; and Derickson Lawrence.... https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mount-vernon/2021/04/14/mount-vernon-richard-thomas-lawsuit-dismissed-run-city-comptroller/7201786002/