DuWayne Gregory, Liuba Grechen Shirley file nominating petitions

DuWayne Gregory and Liuba Grechen Shirley filed petitions Wednesday in Albany to wage a June 26 Democratic primary for the right to take on veteran Republican Rep. Peter King in the Second Congressional District.

Election officials said Gregory, presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, filed about 2,900 signatures. Gretchen Shirley, a Babylon progressive activist, filed more than 2,600 signatures. Qualifying for the ballot requires 1,250 valid signatures.

Gregory also filed petitions to qualify for the Independence, Working Families and Women’s Equality ballot lines. Any of the minor party nominations would guarantee him a place on the November ballot, no matter what happens in the primary.

Also, former Suffolk Legis. Vivian Viloria-Fisher filed more than 2,800 signatures and former Brookhaven National Laboratory scientist Elaine DiMasi filed more than 2,200 with the Suffolk Board of Elections for the Democratic primary for the right to take on Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin in November.

Still expected to file for that First District Democratic primary are David Pechefsky of Port Jefferson and Brendon Henry of Center Moriches. The deadline is Thursday, either by filing their petitions at the board of elections or having them postmarked.

Businessman Perry Gershon has filed 3,281 signatures and former Suffolk Legis. Kate Browning has filed more than 2,500 signatures for the First District Democratic primary.

Zeldin, who filed his Republican and Reform Party petitions earlier in the week, also filed petitions Wednesday for the Conservative and Independence Party lines.

Once petitions are filed, there is a three-day period to file general objections and another six days to file specific objections to disqualify candidates’ petitions.