Election Officials Ask Court to Dismiss McClafferty Suit, Defend Delegate Ballot Disqualification

Elections Supervisor Carolyn Fawkes and Board of Elections Chairman Raymond Williams are asking the District Court to reject Matthew McClafferty’s effort to regain a place on the November Delegate to Congress ballot and dismiss his lawsuit entirely, arguing that seven voter complaints justified an investigation into his nomination petitions and that election officials acted within their statutory authority when they disqualified him. Attorneys for Ms. Fawkes and Mr. Williams filed separate motions Friday opposing Mr. McClafferty’s request for a preliminary injunction and seeking dismissal of the case. The filings come ahead of an August 26 hearing before U.S. District Judge Evan Rikhye. Mr. McClafferty previously sought emergency relief through a temporary restraining order. In opposing his latest request, attorneys for the election officials argue that the same underlying deficiencies that defeated that effort — including the lack of an “affidavit or verifiable complaint establishin...