Hyde Park’s Ward 4 Councilman Ken Schneider, who is running for re-election, will not be on the Democratic Party’s Line A on the November ballot because of a clerical error.
The error, according to Schneider, was his failure to properly register his party enrollment on this year’s form.
Schneider was advised by the Dutchess County Board of Elections of the mistake on the last day of filing.
He said his election forms had been submitted on time, in July, but it was not until nearly 5pm on Sept. 27, that Republican Commissioner Eric Haight alerted Democratic Commissioner Fran Knapp that the discrepancy would cost Schneider the Democratic ballot line.
Schneider told The Observer, “I take full responsibility for the error in reporting on my election form, but I wish the Board of Election had not waited until the final minutes to make me aware of it.”
In spite of the omission, Schneider will be on the ballot on two other endorsed lines, Working Families, Line D, and the Independence Party, Line E.
Asked if he felt a write-in campaign would serve any purpose, Schneider replied, “No, since I am going to be running on two lines, people can pull the lever for either one should they be inclined to vote for me, and write-in votes have to be done right with regard to spelling and proper location on the ballot.”
The last-minute alert left Schneider and the Hyde Park Democratic Committee with few alternatives, including an appeal, which would have involved court proceedings and may have proven costly.
Schneider said, “I did not want to see the money spent on an appeal, and I am hopeful that voters will still want to have me serve them in the Fourth Ward.”
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