Court asked to set aside petition
A Washington man is asking a court to set aside the nomination petition for Washington Councilman Joseph M. Manning, who is running for re-election.
Bernard J. Russell of 475 Allison Ave. alleges that Manning failed to get enough signatures on his petition to run in the May primary.
Manning is running as a candidate for the Democratic nomination to City Council. Manning is serving his first term on council and is seeking another four-year term.
Russell could not be reached for comment Tuesday. His telephone voicemail was full and unable to take additional messages.
In his petition to Washington County Court, Russell notes that he is a member of the Democratic Party.
Under the election code, a candidate for council must obtain at least 100 signatures from registered and enrolled members of the Democratic Party and qualified electors within the city.
There were 110 signatures on Manning’s petition, and Russell alleges some were signatures of unregistered voters, duplicate or illegible signatures, signatures of voters not registered in the Democratic Party and individuals not registered at the addresses listed.
“To my knowledge, everyone who signed it was a registered Democrat living at that address,” said Manning when contacted about the petition.
Russell is challenging the validity of 23 signatures on the petition.
Manning said he believes the signatures were valid.
Russell is asking that the nominating petition be set aside and Manning’s name not appear on the election ballot.
He also is seeking payment for the costs of the proceedings and his attorney fees from Manning or his campaign committee.