WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Even the Republican county chairman calls it “very unusual.”
The Republican county committee in Jefferson County is giving $1,000 to the loser of June’s Republican primary for District 10 in the county legislature.
In that primary, Christopher Boulio beat incumbent legislator Jeremiah Maxon.
In almost every case, the local Republican Party backs the winner of a primary.
But after the primary, a lawsuit accused Boulio of sexual misbehavior nearly a decade ago, when he was Human Resources Director for St. Lawrence County.
“I’m not sure all the information was out at the time of the primary, and this gives voters a second chance,” Don Coon, county Republican chairman, told 7 News Tuesday.
Maxon is waging a write-in campaign against Boulio, and he said the money will be used for signs and election mail.
“We’ve got three weeks to let ‘em know how to write in my name and where to write in my name,” Maxon said Tuesday.
Boulio didn’t know about the thousand dollars before he was contacted by 7 News.
“I think it’s outrageous, ” he said. “I thought the Republican Party is to back the winner of the primary in the general election. For them to do this is to call me guilty of false allegations.”
“They’re in essence disregarding the primary election, where the residents of District 10 picked me.”
Boulio won the June primary 143-138.
Maxon agreed the decision by the county committee was unusual, but thinks it shows something important.
“Integrity matters,” he said. “We’re gonna give voters an opportunity to send a message with their write-ins that integrity matters to them too.”
District 10 takes in the southernmost part of Jefferson County, including the towns of Adams, Worth, Lorraine and Rodman.
Write-in candidates face a significant challenge: instead of just filling in the spot next to a name on the ballot, voters have to “write in” the full name of the candidate.
That said, it can be done: in November 2019, Mike Skelly and John Rishe sent a shockwave through Ogdensburg politics when they won for mayor and council member as write-ins.
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