Community Corner
Middletown's Third-Party Ballot Access Suit Continued Until Friday
Realistic Balance secretary John Kilian is petitioning a judge to have four of his party's candidates reinstated to the Election Day voting rolls.
The third-party candidate running for mayor appeared in court Tuesday in a bid to have Realistic Balance nominees returned to Middletown's ballot for Election Day.
No decision was made, according to Realistic Balance Secretary John Kilian, in Middletown Superior Court, although City Attorney Brig Smith and he testified. "It was quite a back and forth between the city's attorney and myself. The arguments revolved around my standing and my complaint," Kilian says.
"Her decision will follow submission of a brief by the city due later this week."
Two other Realistic Balance candidates for Planning and Zoning, Stephen Smith and Stephen Devoto, petitioned the court to be admitted as part of Kilian's lawsuit, but were denied, according to the Middletown Press.
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Judge Julia Aurigemma denied the motion, saying each candidate had distinct issues, according to the Press, and a decision is expected on Friday.
An elections filing technicality compromised the Realist Balance candidacy of Republicans councilmen Phil Pessina and Joseph Bibisi and planning and zoning commission candidate Jeremy Clark and Democrat Stephen Devoto.
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Nearly every Realistic Balance candidate is on the November ballot under other parties except Stephen Smith, a Democrat whose caucus failed to nominate him. Kilian and Common Council candidate and party chair Fred Carroll remain.
If the court sides with Kilian, the town clerk would have to reinstate all the Realistic Balance candidates and if Middletown's election ballots are finalized, the court could order they be reprinted.
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