In a story by Colin Devries in The Daily Mail about how a judge removed Michael Smith's name from the Democratic line in the Nov. 2 election, local Republicans and Democrats both announced they have flip-flopped from their 2009 positions on local election law. Last year, the Democrats challenged Linda Overbaugh's listing on the Republican line for a technicality -- the name of a different Linda Overbaugh appeared on her nomination form. The Republicans then said that no matter the technicality, voters needed the choice. Now, the technicality is just fine with Republicans, and the Democrats think voters need the choice. Albany County Court Judge Joseph Teresi ruled Wednesday that Smith's name be removed from the Democrat line because Forest Cotten, a Catskill representative at the Greene County legislature and former Catskill committee chair, did not sign the certificate to nominate Smith. Smith will still be on the ballot, on the Justice Party line. Cotten realizes there is flip-flopping going on -- “Apparently, (Republicans) have had a change of heart from last year,” he told the Daily Mail -- but doesn't admit his own party's switch. WGXC called up Greene County Republican committee chairman Brent Bogardus to ask him if he also was changing positions. "I think this is apples to oranges," he said, claiming this case was cut and dry and Overbaugh's was much more open to question. "Yes, I would prefer if candidates stayed on the ballot.... All of this nit-picking is out of control, but you cannot unilaterally disarm.... If both parties want to agree not to play this game any more [on technical issues] we could agree to that." Read the entire story in The Daily Mail.