Clerk Confirms Petitions For all 2nd Ward Candidates
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 • 3:43pm
PATERSON, NJ - The City Clerk's Office on Wednesday certified that the petitions for all five candidates in the 2nd Ward special election are valid.
"There were no discrepancies or defects,'' said Deputy City Clerk Sonia Gordon.
On Thursday at 2 pm, the clerk's office will draw ballot positions for the candidates. The field is composed of Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman, Aslon Goow and Sonia Torres - the top three vote-getters last May - along with two members of the Bengali community, Zalal Uddin and Maidul Islam.
The special election became necessary when Goow filed a successful lawsuit challenging Akhtaruzzaman's eligibility in the May election. A judge ruled last month that Akhtaruzzaman's voter registration was invalid and that he should not have been allowed to run.
So far, there have been no formal challenges on Akhtaruzzaman's eligibility for the special election. He has filed an appeal of the decision nullifying his victory on the ground that he filled out a new form with the county election office in August 2011. A hearing on that appeal is scheduled for Oct. 12.
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