Ariél Zangla is reporting for the Daily Freeman the state Supreme Court September 7, will hear an appeal of a decision that found the nominating petitions of 19th Congressional District candidate Dal LaMagna invalid. LaMagna and fellow independent candidate Diane Neal filed appeals after the state Board of Elections last week ruled their petitions were invalid due to insufficient signatures. Neal’s appeal will be heard August 30. According to the Board of Elections, LaMagna, of Clinton, filed a petition bearing 4,235 signatures. Of those signatures, 1,592 were determined to be invalid, leaving him 857 signatures short of the 3,500 necessary to secure a place on the ballot. Neal, of Hurley, filed a petition with 4,181 signatures, but 1,852 were ruled invalid, leaving her 1,171 signatures short of the 3,500 required. A third independent candidate, Luisa Parker of Sullivan County, had her petitions ruled invalid in early August. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.