Harrison supervisor write-in candidate Ron Belmont, who received most votes, cannot be sworn in, judge says
HARRISON, N.Y. -- A judge says a write-in candidate who received the most votes in the hotly-contested Harrison supervisor's race cannot be sworn into office.
The Westchester County suburb has never seen an election quite like this one.
Write-in candidate Ron Belmont, a former five-term supervisor, narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Richard Dionisio and Democrat Mark Jaffe.
Judge Lewis Lubell, who supervised the painstaking count of write-in ballots, ruled Belmont was ineligible, making Dionisio the winner.
Lubell said a term limits law approved by voters in November actually took effect last year.
"So Ron thought that the term limits weren't in effect, 'So I guess I can run,' and I think that a lot of voters believed him," said Belmont's attorney Adam Bradley.
Bradley said the ruling is preventing the people's choice from taking office.
"When the voters speak, I think that they should be listened to as much as humanly possible and that didn't happen in this case," said Bradley.
Jaffe believes many Belmont voters would have gone for him if they knew term limits would make Belmont ineligible.
"You're disenfranchising voters. So I think a special remedy is in order that would allow a special election so those 2,200 voters wouldn't have their vote alienated," said Jaffe. "It's been done for primaries. Why not this special unique case here in Harrison?"
An aide to Dionisio said the supervisor is "grateful for the outcome" and will have more to say after Christmas.
It's unclear if there will be further legal challengers.
The Harrison supervisor serve a two-year term and, because the town is also incorporated as a village, they are technically a mayor, as well.