Florence Campaigns Accuse Party Chair of Racial Bias in Ballot Challenges
- Dave McCleary
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Several Democratic candidates of color are speaking out against what they call discriminatory practices by Monroe County Democratic Committee Chair Stephen DeVay. The controversy stems from DeVay’s recent filing of general objections to their campaign petitions.
On Friday, April 11, 2025, mayoral candidate Clifford A. Florence Sr. and his son, Clifford A. Florence Jr., who is running for Rochester City Council, held a press conference at F.I.G.H.T. Village to publicly address their concerns. The Florence campaigns claim DeVay is unfairly targeting candidates of color in an effort to influence the outcome of the upcoming elections.
The Florence duo made local political history on April 3 by filing petitions together, a first in Monroe County. Their grassroots campaigns, however, are now facing scrutiny from the party’s leadership.
According to the Florences, DeVay is responsible for filing 18 of the 25 general objections submitted in the county this election cycle. Of those, 12 were against Black candidates, two against Latino candidates, and four against two white women—mayoral candidate Mary Lupien and her chief of staff, City Council candidate Kellie Cheatle.
“It seems Mr. DeVay is intent on clearing the field for his preferred candidate while challenging others, especially candidates of color,” said Florence Sr., who invoked the legacy of his father, civil rights icon Minister Franklin Florence Sr., calling the objections a form of modern voter suppression.
Florence Jr. pointed to what he described as a double standard, highlighting that DeVay has not challenged Jeff McCann’s petition. McCann, a white candidate and Deputy County Executive under Adam Bello, is running for Greece Town Supervisor with endorsements from both the Democratic and Conservative parties. Florence Jr. noted the irony, saying, “The Conservative Party supports Donald Trump. Why isn’t that raising alarms for Mr. DeVay, instead of targeting candidates of color?”
City Council candidate Ann C. Lewis, who overcame a similar petition challenge in 2024, echoed the frustrations. “It’s exhausting and costly to constantly defend our right to participate in the democratic process,” she said.
In response, DeVay denied any bias, stating that all objections were filed strictly on legal grounds related to petition validity. He also emphasized that the Democratic slate this cycle is largely made up of candidates from diverse backgrounds, with eight of nine city seats currently held by Black, Latino, or other minority individuals.
Click below for the full list of candidates the Florences claim were targeted by DeVay’s objections:
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