Ritchie Petitions Are Challenged

CANTON - State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine's supporters challenged Republican opponent Patricia A. Ritchie's independent petitions Thursday, saying at least four errors require 1,967 signatures to be tossed.

Ms. Ritchie filed 4,491 signatures to appear on the Taxpayers line, founded this year by Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino. She needed 3,000 valid signatures.

Andrew G. Mangione, the senator's campaign spokesman, said the petition includes signers who live outside the district, who are not registered to vote, who wrote an incorrect address or who signed duplicate times.

Lisa Smithers, Mrs. Ritchie's campaign manager, accused the senator of duplicity. She said Mr. Aubertine promised to fight for independent voters last month, only to try to block Mrs. Ritchie from the Taxpayers line.

"Saying one thing and doing another is an age old Albany trick," she said in a statement. "But voters of the north country and Central New York know and deserve better."