It’s that time again when Central New York candidates running for elected office might be knocking at your door asking for a petition signature. Onondaga County Democratic Elections commissioner Dustin Czarny says signing isn't the same as voting for the candidate.
“The first thing to remember is when you’re signing a petition you’re not endorsing the candidate. You’re not promising the vote to the candidate. All you’re doing is giving them a signature to go towards their total to get on the ballot for election day.”
Czarny says those signatures also apply to any races that might be contested in the June 23 primary. So, registered voters enrolled in a party could see a volunteer at their door over the next five weeks. Czarny says to remember you’re playing a role in democracy.
“This is literally the first step into having your right to have a choice this fall and maybe in the summer primary as well.”
He says most of the volunteers are working from a list of voters approved by the board of elections, so they know where to get valid petition signatures. Czarny says it’s a fairly easy task if a campaign is organized, but acknowledges other states make it easier.
“Petitioning to get on the ballot is probably one of the more arduous ways to get on the ballot, and in New York there is no option to do a filing fee or any other thing. So we’re probably on the lower spectrum in the sense of ballot access.”
Candidates have until April second to secure the signatures they need.
