LIVERPOOL — Since Democrats and independent candidates mount scant opposition in the village of Liverpool, Republican candidates have carte blanche in village elections. Usually, they simply run unopposed, as they will this Tuesday, June 15.
As a result, actual candidate choices are made not by the village electorate but by the Village of Liverpool Republican Caucus, which rarely numbers more than three dozen residents.
Most years the GOP caucus here is primarily pro forma, often a mere rubber-stamping of incumbents seeking re-election. At this year’s caucus on April 22, however, sparks flew as an apparent non-Republican came within five votes of wresting the nomination away from three-term incumbent Trustee Christina Fadden.
Village GOP Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr., who conducted the caucus, said that every year before the caucus he routinely examines the list of village Republicans provided by the Onondaga County Board of Elections.
When Fadden secured Bill McGillivray’s 2020 voter registration form from the BOE, it showed that he indicated “I do not wish to enroll in any party.”
McGillivray claims that the Department of Motor Vehicles — at which he filled out his voter registration — made a mistake.
“The DMV did not punch in my party enrollment correctly,” he said.
“It’s clear that Ostuni knew McGillivray was not a Republican,” Fadden said, “and yet he let him run for the trustee nomination. And Joe misreported the caucus results to the Star-Review.
To start, he said there were 31 Republicans attending, but there weren’t. There were 29.
Then all the other vote totals are skewed, Fadden suggested, because of the two non-eligible voters.
While White was nominated unanimously, Fadden, Hebert and McGillivray contested for nomination for the two trustee seats. According to Ostuni, Hebert received the most votes, 25, and Fadden placed second with 19 — both winning nomination — while McGillivray finished third with 14 votes.
McGillivray is a 25-year resident of the village, Ostuni said, and this was the first time he has sought elected office. In fact, according to his 2020 voter registration form, last year was the first time the corporate chef had ever voted.
McGillivray — or any village resident — could have mounted an independent campaign for trustee by filing a nominating petition with 50 valid signatures. According to the Village Clerk’s office, he did not do so.
“I thought about it,” McGillivray said, “but when I returned home from vacation, I didn’t have enough time to pass my petition.”
There’s a good chance McGillivray will run for trustee next year, he said, when Republican incumbent trustees Matt Devendorf and Mike LaMontagne are expected to seek re-election.
White agreed with Fadden about McGillivray’s ineligibility at the caucus.
“I don’t understand how Ostuni even allowed them to be there,” the mayor said. “The candidate, McGillivray, was non-enrolled, and then another man not registered as a Republican actually seconded McGillivray’s candidacy. Joe Ostuni dropped the ball big-time.”
While McGillivray could also have threatened Hebert’s comeback, Fadden seemed to be his focus.
“It did seem like a direct attack on Chris [Fadden],” White said. “It was certainly aimed at her, not at Dennis Hebert.”
During this — his first foray into politics — McGillivray said he became “concerned” about “backdoor deals” he thought blocked his candidacy.
Despite the controversy, one thing on which all involved are in agreement.
“We’re always looking for new people to step up,” said White.
“I welcome newcomers,” said Fadden.
“I’m pleased when new folks want to come forward to consider serving on our village government,” said Ostuni.
