NY-26: Kryzan Eyes The Working Familes Party Line
Tags: Alice Kryzan, Buffalo, Erie County, Jon Powers, NY-26, Working Families Party
Looks like Alice “Also-Ran” Kryzan wants the Working Families Party line, even though Jon Powers, at this point is supposed to occupy that line on the ballot in November.
Efforts are under way to make Democrat Alice J. Kryzan the new candidate of the Working Families Party in the 26th Congressional District, giving her another line on the ballot in her campaign against Republican Christopher J. Lee.
But Republicans are already challenging the idea, claiming there is no constitutional basis to remove the designated candidate – Democrat Jon Powers – from the ballot.
“If they try to file a certificate of nomination claiming he is disqualified, the question is how can he be disqualified,” said Ralph M. Mohr, Erie County’s Republican election commissioner.
Mohr said the only residency requirement posed by the Constitution for a member of the House of Representatives is that the candidate live in the state “at the time” of election. As a result, he contends that someone could be a resident at 9 p.m. on Election Day and qualify.
But since no pre-residency requirment exists, Mohr said there is no basis to remove Powers from the ballot.
Honestly, I don’t see what the big deal is about having multiple lines on a ballot. Since I’ve moved to New York it seems that all this electoral fusion stuff has been more a cause for dispute than anything else.
The article did point out that Jon Powers has allegedly moved out of state. Now, sources tell me he’s taken a job in Washington, D.C.
If the GOP really wants to make an issue of this, they could challenge Jon Powers residency. Back in 2006 when Tom DeLay retired from the House and moved to Virginia, Democrats challenged his residency (by saying he was still a resident of Texas) in order to keep him on the ballot.
I don’t think Alice should count on the WFP line on the November ballot. There’s clearly precedent to keep him on, even if he has moved out-of-state.
Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at Blogs For Victory. Follow Matt on Twitter.