It's election season, time to petition

To the editor,

It’s petitioning season once again, the time of year when political candidates must collect signatures from registered voters in their political party to qualify for the ballot. That means you might see candidates or campaign volunteers knocking on your door, asking for your John Hancock. 

In our corner of the Bronx, candidates are gathering petition signatures to run for key positions, including mayor, public advocate, city comptroller, Bronx borough president and city council. The number of required signatures varies depending on the size of the district, but candidates for these offices typically seek more than 1,000 and as many as 10,000 in some cases, in their quest to get onto the ballot for the primary on June 24. 

There’s been some confusion reported to me about petitioning rules, specifically whether a voter can sign petitions for more than one candidate in the same race. As your district leader, part of my role is to help clarify these processes. Yes, a voter can sign for multiple candidates, but only the first signature will count. If a voter signs for more than one candidate on the same day, those signatures will cancel each other out and none will be valid.

It is important to stay informed and engaged. If you have questions about petitioning or the election process, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help.

Abigail Martin, 81st assembly district leader