By Joseph Kellard
Thomas J. Pellegrino of Oceanside filed a lawsuit, saying Lamonica's petition to be on that party's ballot should be disqualified because a date was missing from one of the two signatures he needed from party members to be considered for the party's endorsement.
Although reluctant to comment, Pellegrino did say, "I just heard about it from people talking. I just really got involved with it myself."
For Lamonica, who in part ascribes his loss to Santino last year to the minor-party vote, appearing on the ballot as more than a Democrat is important to his campaign to overcome Santino.
To vie for a party's nomination, a candidate must get a designating petition signed by at least 5 percent of the party's registered members who are eligible to vote for the office or position at stake. The date when the signature is made must also appear on the petition, according to officials from the Board of Elections. The signature and date must be observed by another member of the party or a notary.
There are approximately 40 registered voters in the Working Families Party in the Fourth Councilmatic District. Thus, two signatures were needed to fulfill the 5 percent requirement. Of the three signatures appearing on Lamonica's petition, one was undated and another was of a man who does not live in the Fourth Councilmatic District, according to Pellegrino. If his suit is upheld, it would leave Lamonica one signature of the required amount.
Nassau County Legis. Jeff Toback, Lamonica's campaign manager, notarized each of the signatures on Lamonica's Working Families Party petition, as well as his Green Party petition.
Toback said Lamonica is scheduled to appear in state Supreme Court today..
