Judge Dowd May Rule By Friday

On Hartwick Candidate Challenge

By DON MATHISEN • for AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – State Supreme Court Judge Kevin Dowd is expected to rule Friday on an effort by Republicans to knock the Democratic candidate for Hartwick supervisor, Juli Sharratt, off the November general election ballot.

Sharratt won the Democratic primary, but Republicans claim one of Sharratt’s petitions lack her address. They also allege that not all required documents were filed on time.

But Sharratt’s attorney, Dennis Laughlin, argued today that Sharratt met the spirit of the law.

Laughlin said her address was known to the county Board of Elections. With respect to filing documents late, the lawyer attributed that to a delay in determining the winner of the primary. The outcome was not known until absentee ballots were counted.

Speaking from the bench, Justice Dowd said he is a conservative judge who does not make the law, he only interprets it. But he also doesn’t want to disenfranchise voters by throwing a candidate off the ballot.

Separately, Sheila Ross, Republican election commissioner, said Conservative party candidate David Butler failed to file an acceptance form, so he will not appear on the Conservative line.

However, Butler, the incumbent Hartwick town supervisor, will appear on the Hartwick Pride on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Ross said because of the challenge, no absentee ballots have been mailed out for Hartwick.