The Onondaga County Democratic Committee has taken the first step in a process that could force Juanita Perez Williams off the ballot and prevent a Democratic primary in the 24th Congressional District.

A committee officer, Diane Dwire of Camillus, filed an objection this week with the state Board of Elections to the nominating petitions Perez Williams submitted on Thursday.

Perez Williams turned in petitions with more than 3,200 signatures, exceeding the 1,250 required to gain a spot on the Democratic primary ballot against Dana Balter of Syracuse.

But Dwire's general objection buys time for local Democrats - who designated Balter as their candidate - to scrutinize the petitions and try to have petition signatures ruled invalid.

Mark English, chairman of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee, said the general objection preserves the right for local Democrats to file specific challenges to Perez Williams' petitions by a state deadline of April 23.

English described the effort as "standard operating procedure" for the party in support of its designated candidate.

The four Democratic county chairmen in the 24th District and grassroots party activists have been at odds with national party officials in Washington, D.C., since Perez Williams made a last-minute entry into the campaign two weeks ago.

The local party committees designated Balter as their candidate in February after a months-long process.

Perez Williams, who lost the Syracuse mayor's race in November, is backed by national party officials at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington.

The DCCC on Wednesday elevated Perez Williams into a program for top-tier candidates that will provide extra fundraising and organizational help.

Republicans, meanwhile, filed their own general objections to the petitions filed by Perez Williams and Balter. The objections were submitted by Cheri Scicchitano, of DeWitt. Like Dwire, she will have until April 23 to file specific challenges.

Scicchitano is married to attorney Gregory Scicchitano, who has campaigned for public office in Onondaga County as a Republican. Cheri Scicchitano had no immediate comment on her involvement in the challenge to Democratic petitions.

If the state Board of Elections rules the petitions for Balter and Perez Williams are valid, the Democratic congressional primary election would be June 26. The winner would face Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, in November.

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