Robert W. Cantwell III's intervention may have prevented one of his opponents in the 118th Assembly District race from being tossed off the ballot.

The unusual series of events began Aug. 18, when Phyllis L. Turner, a Macomb Republican, filed an immediate objection to nominating petitions submitted that day by Donald J. Lucas, an independent candidate for the vacant seat.

Ms. Turner, a former St. Lawrence County Republican chairwoman, had heard allegations that Mr. Lucas was collecting signatures from constituents who already had signed petitions for either Mr. Cantwell or Addie J. Russell, the Democratic candidate. That, according to election law, is not permissible.

"I keep hearing about this kind of stuff every year," she said Monday. "Everybody hears about it, but nobody wants to step up and scream. I scream pretty good."

Ms. Turner said she and her helpers from the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee have noticed fatal errors in about 25 percent of Mr. Lucas's submission. Besides constituents who signed other petitions, the Macomb Republican alleged Monday that some signers aren't even registered to vote.

Mr. Lucas, Massena, said Monday that he wasn't sure how many signatures he turned in, although estimates from all involved suggest the number is 1,900 to 2,000. He needs 1,500 valid signatures to appear on the ballot.

The independent said he asked his 20 volunteers to determine if the potential signer was registered to vote, lived in the district and had signed any other candidate's petition before they signed.

"I'm very, very confident that we did everything to the letter of the law," he said. "The only thing that bothers me is those people that have less than honorable intentions who would sign a petition knowing they already signed another."

Ms. Turner said soliciting people to sign a second petition "makes a mockery of doing it correctly."

"It was time somebody put their foot down," she said, adding: "I told Cantwell I was going to do it. I didn't ask his permission."

Mr. Cantwell said he understood Ms. Turner's rationale, but added: "My gut reaction was this was not the right thing to do."

"I feel that the people of the 118th Assembly District should have the freedom of choice," the Republican said. "Nineteen hundred people signed his petition, right or wrong. Who I am to say that someone can't run for this position?"

Mr. Cantwell asked Ms. Turner on Friday to not file the specific objection, which is due today to the state elections board. Failing to file a specific objection is tantamount to dropping the original objection.

"He's got reasons why he doesn't want to do it," said Ms. Turner. "He doesn't want to be a nasty fellow. I'll probably agree, as much as I find it hard to do that. It's his campaign, not mine. My point right now is that we need to get the facts out there and let the people decide for themselves about the guy's (Mr. Lucas's) credibility."

Ms. Turner concluded: "Being the pussycat that I am, I'll probably go along with Cantwell."

Mr. Lucas said he's still campaigning, although he won't hold a fundraiser until the objections are resolved.

"I don't want to take any money toward my campaign until I actually know I'm on the ballot," he said.