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On 5/5/2026, Orleans County Democrats delivered the following letter to the Town of Ridgeway regarding their illegal political party membership article in their Code of Ethics:


To the Town of Ridgeway, New York

We, the undersigned residents of Orleans County, write to formally object to the following provision in the Town’s Code of Ethics:

“No municipal officer or employee may, while serving as an elected or appointed Town employee, be a committeeperson, chairman, vice-chairman, or other officer of any Town political party, with the exception of committee persons as of the date of this policy enactment, who shall be considered grandfathered.”

We respectfully but firmly assert that this provision is legally questionable and overbroad. Restrictions on protected political activities are inconsistent with fundamental constitutional protections. We urge the Town Board to revise or repeal it without delay.

This rule attempts to impose a blanket prohibition on participation in local political party leadership. Such participation lies at the very core of the freedoms of speech and association protected by the First Amendment. Courts have consistently held that government entities may not unduly restrict political affiliation or activity absent a narrowly tailored and compelling justification. This provision offers neither.

Additionally, under New York General Municipal Law § 806, municipal ethics codes are intended to address conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and the proper use of public office. They are not designed to regulate or prohibit lawful political engagement or party involvement. By attempting to do so, this provision exceeds the scope of permissible local regulation.

The rule is particularly problematic as applied to elected officials, who are accountable directly to the voters. These officials can not be subject to additional qualifications imposed by local policy. Preventing an elected official from holding a role within a political party effectively creates a new barrier to public service that is not authorized under New York law.

The inclusion of a so-called “grandfather” clause highlights the capricious nature of this article. This unequal treatment undermines any claim that the rule is necessary for ethical governance and instead suggests arbitrariness in its application.

We fully support strong and enforceable ethics standards. However, those standards must be lawful, narrowly tailored, and focused on actual conflicts of interest and misuse of public resources.

If the Town’s goal is to prevent conflicts or improper influence, there are well-established and legally sound alternatives already established in existing laws. Clear conflict of interest directives, such as recusal or abstention when a subject could affect a political party, could be an appropriate remedy.

A blanket ban on political party roles is neither necessary nor defensible.

We ask that this matter be placed on the agenda for the next Town Board meeting and addressed transparently, with an opportunity for public input.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue. We look forward to your prompt action to ensure that the Town’s policies respect both the law and the constitutional rights of its residents and officials.

Respectfully,

The Orleans County Democratic Committee