Republican candidate Rick Guy lacks the necessary signatures to qualify for the Republican primary in the 50th Senate District, a state Board of Elections hearing officer found Wednesday.
A hearing was held in Albany to review Guy's petitions. He submitted 1,381 signatures, 602 of which were ruled out by the state Board of Elections. That leaves him with 779 signatures — well below the 1,000 needed to be eligible for the primary ballot.
Guy's fate will rest with petitions circulated by his son, Joseph, who collected nearly 360 signatures for his father. An objection was filed challenging the validity of the signatures because Joseph Guy isn't a registered Republican.
To circulate petitions for a Republican candidate, for example, an individual must be enrolled with the GOP.
The state Board of Elections determined the petitions were invalid, but Rick Guy contends the signatures collected by his son should be allowed because Joseph Guy is a notary public.
Notaries public may sign designating petitions. However, state Board of Elections spokesman John Conklin said Joseph Guy "did not include any information about his commission as a notary" as required by state election and notary laws.
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