Newfane and Somerset candidates' petitions challenged

Apr. 24—Two prospective candidates for town offices, Troy Barnes in Newfane and Lauritz "Larry" Dent in Somerset, don't have a ballot line to run on after successful challenges to their Republican nominating petitions.

Two Newfane town board seats are to be filled by election in November. Barnes, an incumbent, went for a GOP line, as did George Maziarz, Rob Horanburg and Pete Robinson.

Barnes' nominating petition was challenged by the town Republican committee, and since he didn't bid for any other ballot lines, he's out of the race.

Following the ruling by the Niagara County Board of Elections, Barnes said on Monday that "it's actually a relief. ... I always said it was three and done."

Even so, Barnes suggested he's a victim of political shenanigans. He said his opponents, Maziarz, Horanburg and Robinson, are all members of the town GOP committee, whose chair, Diana Allen, had provided him with a list of Republican voters he could get a signature from. The committee challenged a number of signatures on Barnes' petition, citing the rule that says a voter can sign only two petitions when two offices are up for grabs, and when those were stricken, Barnes fell below the minimum number of required signatures.

"To be targeted like that, it does sort of sting," Barnes said. "Especially by people you work with."

In Somerset, Dent's GOP nominating petition for town supervisor was tossed by the Board of Elections. It was the only petition he submitted. Incumbent town supervisor Jeff Dewart filed petitions for the GOP and Conservative lines. Dent couldn't be reached on Monday to comment on whether he'll challenge the ruling or attempt a write-in candidacy.