Under New York election law, voters can gather petition signatures to place on the ballot an option of Write In — so that each voter can write in a candidate’s name. The move is called an “opportunity to ballot.” It creates competition for a party’s designated candidate by giving voters a choice to write in someone else’s name. If the “opportunity to ballot” is used in the primary season, it forces a primary election in which a party’s voters can reject the party’s choice of nominee. For the 2013 election,  Russ Andrews — who also has the Republican and Conservative parties’ designation — faces a primary challenge on Sept. 10 by a write-in candidate for the Independence Party designation for County Legislator District 8.

*The write-in candidate cost Russ Andrews the Independence Party nomination during the Sept. 10, 2013, primaries. The nomination went to incumbent Chris Ryan, D-Syracuse. Andrews got 34 votes from Independence Party voters to 41 for Ryan.

District Description/Map

District 8 is in the center of Onondaga County, including a portion of Solvay, a portion of Geddes, and the northwestern corner of the city of Syracuse. District 8 Map