Riverhead highway superintendent candidate removed from GOP ballot

The Republican candidate for Riverhead Town highway superintendent, Michael V. Panchak, was removed from the GOP ballot line because he is not a party member and never got formal authorization from party officials to run on their ballot line.

The suit, brought by Riverhead’s Democratic highway superintendent George Woodson, will keep Panchak off the Republican line, but he remains as a candidate on the Conservative ballot line because the minor party filed the proper paperwork.

State Supreme Court Justice Carol MacKenzie in Central Islip ruled Panchak’s voter registration “indicates his party affiliation is blank. Thus he is not an enrolled member of the Republican Party. Further, Mr. Panchak did not obtain and timely file a Certificate of Authorization as required by statute,” making his petitions “null and void.”

Panchak and his attorney did not return calls for comment yesterday on whether he will appeal the decision.