Judge Denies Wyckoff Candidate's Challenge Of Opponent's Petition

A Superior Court judge has denied Republican candidate Susan Yudin’s request to invalidate independent Thomas Madigan’s petition to run for a Wyckoff Township Committee seat.

Judge Estela De La Cruz dismissed Yudin’s complaint with prejudice, stating in her ruling that Madigan did not violate the law when he signed both his and Republican Kevin Rooney’s petition.

Yudin contented that Madgian’s petition was invalid because he did not witness some of the people sign it.

“Considering this specific scenario where two seats are open for election does not invalidate Madigan from accepting the nomination for one of these two seats,” the ruling states.

De La Cruz also said that Yudin did not “provide any legal authority to support her contention that Madigan should be denied the opportunity to run as an independent for the second township council seat.”

Yudin also “sought protection and enforcement of her right as a candidate,” but De La Cruz said Madgian did not violate Yudin’s rights.

Yudin, according to the ruling, only sought to protect her “right to an uncontested election.”

“Nothing in the legal analysis and law presented by Yudin supports this alleged right to an uncontested election.”

Yudin also argued that because the signatures on Magidan’s petition of Brianna Santolli, Charlotte Santolli, and Anthony Antonelli were allegedly fraudulent, the entire petition should have been invalid. Magidan was required to collect 100 signatures. He collected 194.

“I do not find that Madigan intended to commit a fraud in this situation,” De La Cruz said. “I find no good reason to frustrate the expressed desire of the citizens of Wyckoff, which exceed 100, who all have expressed the desire for Madigan to run a an independent candidate for Wyckoff Township Council.”