Two lawsuits aimed at former cop Delano

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) - Retired cold case detective Dennis Delano has another political battle on his hands. Two lawsuits seek to throw out Delano's primary petitions.

Former Buffalo Police detective Dennis Delano wants to be the next Town Justice of Cheektowaga. He's filed the petitions, but their authenticity is in question.

Erie County Election Commissioner Ralph Mohr said, "The petitions on the Democratic or Independent line indicate, or try to claim, that he does not have enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. And on the Republican petition, there's specific allegations that many, or at least some, of the signatures on the petition were not those of the people they purport to be."

An opposing candidate filed one of the lawsuits. According to the Erie County Board of Elections, it's common to face challenges at this stage in the election process.

Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan said, "It's a basic procedure of the petition process. People collect the petitions, and then they have to pass scrutiny."

"Lawsuits have to be filed within 14 days of filing the petitions. Today being the last day, we've received about seven or eight lawsuits on the petitions," explained Mohr.

And in most cases the lawsuits are just a bump in the road.

Mohr added, "90 percent of the petitions that are heard usually most of the time the judges lean in favor of trying to keep the person on the ballot."

Time will tell if Delano will remain on the ballot. A court appearance is scheduled for next week and the Erie County Board of Elections plans to review each and every signature.

"We'll verify the signatures by taking the petition and going line-by-line through the petition matching the signatures up with the records at the Board of Elections," said Mohr.