The Genesee County Board of Elections responded to a complaint of electioneering at Stafford Town Hall at 8903 Route 237 on Tuesday afternoon. The complaint was made against Republican Candidate for Stafford Town Board, Ronald Panek, and his wife Mary Alice Panek.
According to Democratic Election Commissioner Lorie Longhany, the Genesee County Board of Elections was made aware of the complaint and addressed it immediately.
“We addressed it as quickly as we heard about it. It won’t affect the people who have already voted ” says Longhany.
According to Longhany, Republican Election Commissioner Richard Siebert responded to Stafford Town Hall and asked Town Board Candidate, Ronald Panek and his wife Mary Alice, Stafford Republican Committee Chair, to leave the polling site. The couple left the polling site after being asked to leave.
Longhany says candidates and their families can go inside a polling place to vote and then must leave, they cannot hang around the polling site as that is considered electioneering which is not permitted at polling sites in New York State.
According to the complaint, Mary Alice Panek was assisting the Stafford Historical Society in their bake sale, which is in the same area as the polling site.
Polls are open until 9:00p.m. Tuesday evening.
This claim was found to be invalid. The Paneks should not have been asked to leave and they should be given a public apology. Anything less is immoral.
It was confirmed through the Board of Elections who provided the information on the candidate and his wife being asked to leave as candidates and their families are not allowed to hang out at a polling site.