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PETITIONS: Copied ballots an issue of trust

Sen. Zellnor Myrie, D-Brooklyn, wants to know who in the Zeldin for Governor campaign tried to pull a fast one to gain another line on November’s election ballot.

We do too. So should every Republican interested in voting for Rep. Lee Zeldin in the November election for governor.

Zeldin is asking for the public’s trust in his bid for governor. Trust is an important thing given New York’s history with governors. Eliot Spitzer was run out of office after a prostitution scandal. Andrew Cuomo ended up having his own sexual and ethical indiscretions before resigning. Gov. Kathy Hochul is starting to show some of her own warts, starting with nominating someone under federal investigation to be her first lieutenant governor.

Now, it appears, the Zeldin campaign is tarnishing its image by allegedly photocopying some 11,000 voter signatures in an attempt to revitalize the defunct Independence Party line on the ballot. Some of those signatures came from Chautauqua County residents, though County Clerk Larry Barmore, who circulated those petitions, said nothing illegal was done here.

Something illegal was done somewhere, then. And before voters give their support to Zeldin, his campaign needs to come clean.

This isn’t just about election gamesmanship. This is about trust — and the Zeldin campaign can build some trust by coming clean about the photocopied petitions.

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