Candidate booted over 'nonexistent' party

A candidate trying to run a legislative primary to deny the Working Families Party nomination to Democrat Bill Lindsay -- running to succeed his term-limited father -- was thrown off the ballot after he failed to correctly name the party he joined last fall.

Anthony Gralto filed petitions seeking the "Working Family Party" nomination. Gralto's attorney argued that the petitions were "in substantial compliance" with the state election law. But State Supreme Court Justice Carol MacKenzie said in her ruling it appeared to be the first case where a party name was misstated. "Other errors that have been held to be minor pale in significance to naming an incorrect and nonexistent political party," she wrote. -- Rick Brand