Originally Posted by
Lee Chowaniec
As a lifelong ‘blank’ unaccustomed to primary balloting, I am confused re the Desiderio Town Clerk mailer our residence received today. Ms. Desiderio again claims to be the Republican Candidate running for Town Clerk. Not yet, Ms. Desiderio – only if you win the Republican Party line in the primary. And, you are not the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate.
What I find most perplexing about the mailer is that it was paid for by the NYS Independence Party – the same party that had endorsed Ms. Terranova early on for the position. Through some ‘trickery’ Terranova was bounced from the ballot, leaving Desiderio unopposed. She has the Independence Party ballot line.
It would make sense if the Independence Party sent out a mailer encouraging voters to vote for Desiderio on their line. This is a mailer beseeching Republicans to vote for her on the Republican line - Independence Party only mentioned as paying for the mailer.
How did Desiderio’s campaign manager, Ralph Mohr, Republican BOE Commissioner get the NYS Independence Party to fund a mailer for the unendorsed Republican Party candidate? A candidate the Independence Party had not endorsed. As I have questioned several other individuals knowledgeable in politics the same, they were unable to answer. I don’t feel too stupid now.
As a 'blank' I cast my vote the great majority of the time on The Independence Party line if my candidate is on the ballot. This chicanery is very disturbing.
And this is only the primary!