COVENTRY – Four independent hopefuls for office in Coventry will not appear on the general election ballot in November because their petitions have been thrown out.
And depending on the outcome of the Republican Party primary election tomorrow, none of them – including current Republican Supervisor John Phelan – may end up on the ballot at all.
There will be primaries in seven towns: Columbus, Coventry, Guilford, Greene, Smithville, McDonough and New Berlin on Tuesday. All caucuses have been held for this election year. Election Day is Nov. 8.
The Chenango County Board of Elections office confirmed that the following independent “Liberty” platform candidates’ petitions were rejected in Coventry: Incumbent Supervisor John Phelan for supervisor, Lori L. Ball for clerk and Gwendolyn M. Hinman and Thomas A. Sisk for council.
All have also filed designating petitions to run for the respective offices as Republicans, and face the following primary challengers: George L. Westcott for supervisor, incumbent clerk Theresa A. Schultheis, and Patricia D. Fiske for council.
Natural gas leasing and drilling, a transmission pipeline proposal and a property tax reval conducted under the town’s previous administration are widely debated issues in the town currently. More concerned individuals from Coventry and the surrounding area have become involved in politics as a result.
Thus, the surge of interest in government postioning and parties cross nominating candidates. Campaigning for the two available Coventry Town Council seats are: Incumbent Republican Marion Ireland and independent “Earth Friendly” petitioner and Republican Douglas Besemer, who were both nominated by the town’s Dems at caucus; “We the People” independent petitioner Daniel M. Clark; and Republican Party designating petitioners and independent filers: Fiske, Sisk and Hinman.
Supervisor Phelan initially objected to his challengers’ designating petitions shortly after they were filed in mid-July. He objected to Westcott’s and Independence Party candidate, Larry G. Clark’s. Both stand, however, because Phelan failed to follow all of the required Board of Elections procedures.
“John did not send his opposition certified letters or tell them in person what the specifications for rejection were,” said Chenango County Republican Party Commissioner Harriet Jenkins.
Former Coventry Supervisor Janice O’Shea challenged the independent petitions and successfully followed through with notifying the candidates about the specifications for objection, Jenkins confirmed.
The independent petitions were part of a record-breaking number that were circulated and filed two weeks ago for government offices in Chenango County.