Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis is one of two candidates recently kicked off the primary ballot, but he insists he'll fight to get back on.

Davis was at the Westchester County Courthouse on Monday looking to challenge the Westchester County Board of Elections for kicking him off the primary ballot.

“We put in 2,800 signatures and they are telling me only 400 are good. It’s an argument I refuse to abide by,” says Davis.

Mount Vernon mayoral candidates needed the signatures of 700 registered voters to qualify for the primary. The 80-year-old with four terms under his belt says he collected almost four times that amount.

A former foe, former Mayor Clinton Young, challenged Davis' signatures and 2,300 of them were tossed, making Davis ineligible.

Davis says he believes he was being targeted by top Democrats in the local party who don't want him back in power.

Davis isn't the only candidate who has been disqualified from the race. City Councilwoman Delia Farquharson was also kicked off the ballot for not having enough valid signatures.  She too is fighting to get back on, telling News 12 she's pursing all legal options. Reginald Lafayette, the Democratic elections commissioner,  says when candidates come up short they all cry sour grapes.

“No one is targeted,” says Lafayette.

Former Mayor Davis is vowing to mount a legal challenge to fight his way back into the race, saying he's has too much to offer to simply walk away.

“It’s too much at stake. We worked too hard, cried too long to have it go down this way,” says Davis.

Davis says he plans to file a formal appeal against the Board of Elections this week.