The City Board of Elections denied Independence Party candidate to replace the late John Lavelle representing Staten Island’s North Shore in the March 27 Special Election Kelvin Alexander’s bid to place his made up Family First line (Not to be confused with Working Families which supports Democratic opponent Matt Titone ) as an additional line on the ballot. The board ruled that 611 of the petition’s 1616 signatures were invalid, leaving him short of the 1100 he needed for that additional line.

Alexander, a Staten Island Democratic County Committee member, is running on the Independence line and potentially turning a potential easy Democratic win into an opportunity for Republican Rose Margarella because the party chose Titone over him. He is undecided if he’ll fight the ruling with the state Supreme Court.

Alexander has accused any challenge of his fabricated party petition as marginalizing minority voters. I find that a stretch since he’s already on the ballot as a better known party’s candidate.

I also need to clarify that I am supporting Titone in this race. I have donated money to Titone, campaigned with Matt and have a Titone sign on my front lawn. There are some comments on the Link TextStaten Island Advance’s SIlive political forum that take out of context my initial backing of Alexander in the Daily Gotham. Although I would have voted for Alexander in the first round of voting at the County Convention had I been allowed to participate, I would have switched to Titone in subsequent rounds. Also for the SIlivers who read my blog, I was not one of the January Committee additions thought loyal to Olivari. I was told I was added in June 2006 and still haven’t been named to the Committee and thus still can not vote in County matters.

Candidates to fill the late John Lavelle’s State Assembly seat, the openly Gay Matt Titone and Kelvin Alexander, a co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care accuse each other’s campaigns of bigotry according to Saturday’s Link TextStaten Island Advance.

Democratic Candidate Titone, who lost to Andrew Lanza in a November State Senate bid, has been challenging Alexander, the Independence Party candidate (But still a member of County Democratic Committee) and Democratic Brooklyn State Senator Eric Adams ‘s chief of staff’s petition signatures. Not signatures for his Independence candidacy, but those for his made up additional line, the Family First Party (Which has nothing to do with the Working Families Party).

Alexander finished a distant fourth at the Staten Island Democratic Committee’s nominating convention, but anticipating that secured the Independence nomination and began petitioning for his made up party line before the convention.

Alexander ridiculously asserted Titone’s challenging of his Family First Party signatures, many of which were allegedly from non-registered voters and people not living in the district marginalizes blacks, while Titone counters that the word “Family” in Kelvin’s party moniker could be a homophobic code word suggesting that Matt being Gay means he’s anti-family.

Parks Department Director of Government Relations and former Yvette Clarke staffer Michael Schnall is hosting a 7PM to 9PM Democratic Candidate Matt Titone dessert fundraiser tonight at his 73 ST. Pauls Avenue Staten Island home.

Mike's residence is fairly close to the Ferry, so this would be a fairly convenient event for those of you afraid to set foot on Staten Island to attend.

Titone, who ran for State Senate in November, seeks to fill the late John Lavelle's assembly seat in the March 27 special election.

For more information contact mikeschnall@gmail.com
To donate online visit Link Textmatthewtitone.com or
Link Textmatthewtitone.net

Joann Mardikos is the campaign's Volunteer Coordinator joannm56@aol.com or 718-816-0842.

Councilman Michael McMahon is hosting a March 13 7:30 PM Matt Titone fundraiser for Titone at Bridget's Public House, 461 Clove Road Staten Island.
Minimum suggested Donation $50, Silver Donor $100
Gold Donor $250, Platinum Donor $500. For information contact the Island's hardest working non-paid Democratic soldier Laura Sword (718)556-3823. laurasword@gmail.com

State Senator Diane Savino and Downtown Staten Island Council Vice Chair Kevin Barry host a March 7, 2007 6-8 PM fundraiser fundraiser for Democratic Assembly candidate Matt Titone @ Vida
381 Van Duzer Street Staten Island, NY 10305.

Suggested Donations are $500, $1000 and $2500, but Matt won't turn away those who can't afford to give at those levels.

For More information contact Nick Vagelatos (212)239-7323.

Former State Senate candidate Matt Titone prevailed in a marathon Staten Island Democratic County Committee Convention that I am very angry that I wasn’t allowed to be part of , to select who will run in the March 27 special election to replace the late John Lavelle last night. Titone defeated Supreme Court deputy chief clerk Bob Olivari, the late Assemblyman’s son Danny and another former State Senate Candidate Kelvin Alexander, who I would have supported at least in the Convention that ended at 12:30 AM’s first ballot. I ultimately would have switched support to Titone after early balloting placed Kelvin at a distant 4th.

Danny Lavelle unlocked the convention by throwing his support to Titone after it became apparent that he wasn’t going to win.

Despite finishing way out of the money, Alexander , the founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, is on the ballot as the Independence Party nominee. Although I would have supported Alexander at the Democratic Convention, my vote will go to Titone in the Special Election.

Alexander is a member of the County Committee and should not jeopardize a safe Democratic seat by siphoning votes from Titone, who would normally attract 70 percent of the vote in an election against Republican Rose Margarella. Margarella, a junior high social studies teacher received 28 percent of the vote against Lavelle in November.