Special Referee Jeffrey Helewitz
A Special Referee was assigned to review designating petitions for Female and Male Assembly District Leader candidates Quinones and Lopez-Pierre, respectively. Two issues arose—if the petition should be invalidated for an illegible signature of a subscribing witness, and if a signatory's party enrollment was determined by an affirmation on the petition, or the registration (buff) card filed with the Board of Elections. The referee concluded the omission by a witness of a portion of their address did not require disqualification of signatures obtained by that witness. Yet, because of the commonness of the witness' name, it was not possible to determine who she was, or obtain testimony, and the signatures she witnessed were invalidated. Respondents argued the signatory's affirmations should be the determining factor, not the buff card, which lacked a party affiliation. The referee noted a voter's enrollment was determined by the affiliation, or lack thereof, appearing on their buff card. He stated to be qualified to vote in a primary election, a voter changing their registration was subject to a waiting period before they could vote. Yet, the exception to the waiting period was inapplicable here, and the referee ruled the signature was invalid.
