NEWBURGH – A challenge to keep former Newburgh City Councilwoman Gay
Lee off the Democratic Party primary election ballot next month has been
rejected.
The Orange County Board of Elections had ruled her petitions were invalid
since 69 people signed them stating they lived at different Newburgh addresses
from where they registered.
Lee appealed to State Supreme Court and Justice Catherine Bartlett rule
she could remain on the ballot. That decision was appealed and on Wednesday,
the Appellate Division, Second Department, of State Supreme Court sided
with Bartlett and said Lee could run, pitting her against fellow Democrat
Torrance Harvey, the former councilman appointed after Mayor Judy Kennedy
died last April.
Lee said she has the experience to run for mayor and without her on the
ballot, the community would have been disenfranchised.
“With me I understand what it is like to be an executive; I understand
what it’s like to be a taxpayer; and God knows I understand what
it’s like to be poor,” she said after the appellate court
ruling. “My income two years ago was $18,000. The only thing that
I didn’t have that many people have is disenfranchisement. But poverty,
I was right there. So I get it on all levels.”
Lee alleged the Democratic hierarchy in Orange County wanted her off
the ballot. Regardless of the outcome of the primary, Lee will appear
on the Independence Party and Reform Party lines in the November general
election.
Harvey will also appear on the Working Families Party line in the general
election in November.
