Times Telegram: Babinec Launches Upstate Jobs Party Petition Drive

By: Times Telegram

UTICA — Independent candidate for Congress Martin Babinec announced Tuesday the launch of the petition drive to gather signatures to qualify the Upstate Jobs Party as an independent party line for the November ballot.

“If you care about jobs for our families, for our children, for our future we are asking you to come forward, volunteer and join our cause,” the Little Falls resident said in a news release.

“The Upstate Jobs Party is about more than just my candidacy, it’s about creating a sustainable political alternative to a two party system dominated by crony capitalism and special interests that has over and over again failed to deliver jobs for our region. If we are successful in bringing volunteers and attention to this line, I plan to support its expansion going forward,” he added.

The petition process, which ends Aug. 2, requires at least 3,500 signatures from registered voters, of any party or no party, throughout the district who have not signed another congressional petition this election cycle. There are approximately 435,500 registered voters in the 22nd Congressional District.

“I’m urging interested citizens, concerned parents, college students, budding entrepreneurs and volunteers of all ages to join us at our office 12 Liberty St. in Utica, visit our website at upstatejobs.org or call 219-7752 to get involved,” Babinec said.

Other candidates up for Richard Hanna’s seat include state Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, Republican Cazenovia businessman Steven Wells, Democratic Broome County Legislator Kim Myers and former Broome County Legislator George Phillips, a Republican.