Harrison supervisor Richard Dionisio sues to toss challenger from race over term limits

Late Monday, Harrison Supervisor Richard Dionisio sued Ron Belmont, the former supervisor, to prevent him from taking office should he be declared the winner of last Tuesday's general election.

The results of the election are, as of Tuesday morning, uncertain, with 148 votes separating Dionisio, a Republican, from his Democratic challenger. However, Belmont's wild-card write-in campaign appears to have placed him in serious contention. Dionisio estimates that Belmont may have received at least 1,500 write-in votes, according to lawsuit paperwork.

Despite repeated requests, the Westchester County Board of Elections has not provided The Journal News/lohud with preliminary results of Tuesday's election for Harrison supervisor. As of last week, there remained additional ballots to be counted, including absentee ballots, affidavit ballots and election-day ballots submitted into what candidates say were faulty machines.

What does Dionisio's lawsuit say?

Dionisio argued that a local law adopted last year by the Harrison Town Board should have prevented Belmont from running for election for the supervisor role and should keep him from taking office, even if Belmont is declared the winner. Last year, the board passed a law preventing a supervisor from serving more than five terms. Belmont previously served as Harrison's dual supervisor-mayor for five terms, from 2012 to 2021. Dionisio won the seat in 2021.

The legality of Harrison's term-limits law remains in serious doubt, as the Court of Appeals struck down similar term limits in the town of Clarkstown earlier this year because it had never been submitted to voters in a referendum, just as with the Harrison law.

Clarkstown term limits Clarkstown term limits law voided by New York high court, letting Hoehmann run again

Further complicating the issue is an identical term-limits measure that was included on last Tuesday's general election ballot in Harrison, alongside the race for supervisor. Dionisio voiced support for the measure, which would further codify the term limits for supervisor.

Whether this simultaneous referendum-election could prevent Belmont from holding office, should he win, remains an open question.

For his part, Dionisio's attorney is confident in his client's case.

"Show me where a person who is not legally qualified has ever been elected to office," said John Ciampoli.

Asher Stockler is a reporter for The Journal News and the USA Today Network New York. You can find him on Twitter at @quasiasher or send him an email at astockler@lohud.com. Reach him securely: asher.stockler@protonmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Harrison supervisor Richard Dionisio sues to toss opponent from race