Democratic mayoral nominee India Walton released the following statement in response to Byron Brown’s petition drive to gain an independent ballot line in this November’s election:
“The Brown campaign’s attempt to circumvent the state legislature’s duly adopted petition-filing deadline is yet another show of disdain for our democratic processes and elections. We are confident that the local Board of Elections will meet its constitutional duty to uphold state law and not subject the court or the public to this frivolous litigation.”
The relevant statute mandates that petitions be filed no later than 23 weeks preceding a general election. November 2nd being just over 10 weeks away, these petitions are untimely on their face. In the words of John W. Conklin, spokesman for the State Board of Elections in Albany, the statewide political calendar is not “a discretionary document.”
Walton campaign Director of Communications Jesse Myerson had this to add: “Not content merely to hold Democratic voters in contempt, Byron Brown has apparently now seen fit to throw New York State election law in the trash as well. This is hardly surprising, given the style of politics practiced by his corrupt affiliates, like his disgraced Deputy Mayor Steve Casey. To the contrary, this latest move is completely in line with Brown’s own corrupt practices, his illegal campaign finance reporting omissions and errors, and his commitment to his own vanity and personal power.”
“As someone who fancies himself a proponent of the ‘rule of law,’ Mr. Brown should withdraw his petitions, obey the law, and treat our voters and legislators with the respect they deserve,” Myerson continued. “While Brown and his Republican supporters don’t think the rules apply to them, we are confident that this desperate gambit will fail as badly as his primary campaign did, that the rules will stand, and that the voters will conclude once again that it is time for a change.”
More information about India Walton, the Democratic nominee for Mayor of Buffalo and sole mayoral candidate on the November 2 General Election ballot, can be found at www.indiawalton.com, Facebook, Twitter at @indiawaltonbflo and Instagram at @indiawaltonforbuffalo.
