Trent Jackson Jr. and Clifford Florence Sr. Call Out ‘Racist Barriers’ in Rochester Elections
- Dave McCleary
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
After being removed from the June 18 school board election ballot due to what he calls a deliberate technicality, Rochester City School Board candidate Trent Jackson Jr. is refusing to back down and is continuing his campaign as a certified write-in.
Jackson, who submitted more than 1,500 signatures—well above the required 1,000—was disqualified after 678 signatures were invalidated by the Monroe County Board of Elections. He says the disqualification hinged on minor procedural issues that were only flagged after he followed the very instructions given to him by a Board of Elections attorney.
“I followed the guidance I was given. I did exactly what they told me to do—and then they turned around and said it was wrong,” Jackson said. “It felt like a setup from day one.”
Jackson is no stranger to Rochester’s educational and civic landscape. He has worked closely with youth, families, and community organizations, and says his decision to run for the board is rooted in a desire to increase transparency and elevate student voices.
Jackson believes the system is rigged to discourage first-time and outsider candidates, especially those without deep connections inside the community.
Despite the setback, Jackson registered as a write-in candidate by the May 28 deadline. To vote for him, voters must manually write in "Trent Jackson Jr." on the school board ballot.
“There are people who do not want new voices at the table,” Jackson said. “They are counting on us to give up. I’m here to say: I’m not backing down.”
Jackson says even if the write-in campaign is unsuccessful, he will continue to be a voice for the kids.
“This is not about me,” he said. “It’s about giving our kids the best opportunity and securing their future.”
Behind the scenes, insiders with ties to the Democratic Committee have been weaponizing signature challenges to sideline candidates, according to Jackson and other community leaders. Candidates who face challenges must raise thousands of dollars—sometimes $20,000 or more—for legal fees just to stay on the ballot. Even when candidates have a strong case to win in court, the financial and logistical strain can cripple their campaigns beyond repair.
Jackson collaborated with a fellow candidate and current school board member James Patterson to gather petition signatures through a shared approach, a common practice among candidates. He says the Board's interpretation of the rules unfairly penalized that effort.
As a result, both he and Patterson have been disqualified from appearing on the democratic ballot line.
“This is the hidden side of voter suppression,” Jackson said. “It’s not that they beat you at the ballot box. It’s that they make it too expensive for you to even get there.”
Minister Clifford Florence Sr., who is running for mayor and faced similar disqualification tactics, described the situation even more bluntly.
“What’s happening in Rochester is nothing short of racist political suppression,” Florence said. “This system is designed to wipe out Black candidates before they even have a chance to compete.”
Florence, who plans to run as an independent in November and is urging supporters to write in his name for the June primary, said that Democratic Party operatives are using the rules as weapons against grassroots challengers.
“They didn’t go after white candidates. They didn’t go after their handpicked favorites,” Florence said. “They came after the Black candidates—the ones who actually represent change.”
Florence explained that by the time a candidate hires a lawyer, files court papers, and defends each challenged signature, the campaign is drained of money, energy, and time. Even winning the legal fight often means losing the ability to effectively campaign.
“This isn’t democracy; it’s sabotage,” Florence said. “They want to drain you financially, humiliate you publicly, and break your spirit so you don’t try again. But we are not playing by their script.”
Both Jackson and Florence are calling on the community to stand up, speak out, and prove that grassroots candidates can still win when people refuse to be silenced.
“The insiders are banking on low turnout and silent voters,” Florence said. “But if the people rise up—if 25,000 people come out to vote—we can make history. We can topple the machine.”
Florence says he plans to gather the required signatures to run as an independent in November.
We're going to get the 1500 signatures,” he said. “But my goal is to get 3000 signatures to ensure that we don't have a part two of this corruption.
For now, write-in campaigns are underway for both Jackson and Florence. The pair say Rochester voters still have a chance to disrupt the status quo—and send a message that democracy belongs to everyone, not just the political elite.
Comments