Judge Denies Wyckoff Candidate's Request To Halt Ballot Printing

A judge has denied a Wyckoff Committee candidate’s filing to halt the printing of ballots for the November election.

Superior Court Judge Estela De La Cruz denied Susan Yudin’s filing of a stay to keep the ballots from being printed with independent candidate Thomas Madigan’s name on them.

Yudin will appeal the ruling to the Superior Court’s Appellate Division. Yudin said she expected De La Cruz to rule against the stay. Yudin has asked the Appellate Division for emergent relief.

“I’m doing this for the protection for the existing petition process,” Yudin said. “If this ruling stands, witnessing a signature means nothing.”

Yudin argued because Madigan did not witness all 194 people sign his petition that it should have been deemed invalid. She also challenged Magidan’s ability to sign both his and Republican candidate Kevin Rooney’s petitions. De La Cruz dismissed Yudin’s complaint with prejudice Aug. 4. Yudin, De La Cruz ruled, only sought to protect her alleged “right to an uncontested election.”

Related: Judge Denies Wyckoff Candidate’s Challenge of Opponent’s Petition

It is the fourth time Yudin has appealed Madigan’s candidacy, Madigan said.

“It’s time to get the campaign out of the courtroom and bring it to the streets and homes of Wyckoff where we can discuss issues pertinent to the future of our community,” said Madigan.

Yudin’s husband Robert is chairman of the Bergen County Republican Organization. Madigan claims that Robert has fought tirelessly to have his wife run unopposed in the general election. Yudin lost her bid for a committee seat in 2014.

“I am definitely not afraid of opposition,” Yudin said. “I shall continue to campaign on issues alone, as opposed to the so-called Independent candidate who is making outlandish charges against me and my business.”

Yudin said that Madigan is the candidate who wants to run uncontested, not her. She said that Madigan asked her to drop out of the race so he could run unopposed — something Madigan denies.

“That’s absolutely not true,” Madigan said. “I went to speak with her and she was very clear that her husband was going to give her the party line and that’s why I put in to run as an independent.”