Some local voters registered with a political party will have a chance to weigh in at the polls on Tuesday, September 10. The local races underway in the region may not be as headline-grabbing as others in the state -- New York City mayoral race, anyone? -- but there are some important races underway in Catskills towns and legislative districts.
A few of the jucier races underway this week: A heated battle is underway in the Prattsville GOP, with two slates of candidates dueling for seats on the county Republican Committee. Ulster County legislative chair Terry Bernardo, a Republican from Accord, is fighting a challenge from newcomer John Dawson of Kerhonkson. And a three-way race is afoot for the Democratic nod for town supervisor in Woodstock, with incumbent Jeremy Wilber facing challengers Terrie Rosenblum and Lorin Rose.
Once again, Schoharie County -- which had no primary elections in 2011 -- is holding no primaries this year. (Note to Schoharie County's aspiring local politicians: Might want to start thinking about 2015.)
New York State has a closed-primary system, meaning that to vote in a primary at any level of government in New York State, voters must be registered members of the party holding the primary. Parties eligible to hold primary elections in New York State are Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Working Families, Green and Independence (not to be confused with registering as an "Independent," with no political party).
The winners of Tuesday's primaries will appear on the ballot in the general election in November. In some cases, due to multiple parties supporting a single candidate, candidates who lose ther party's primary may still appear on the November ballot on a different line.
DELAWARE COUNTY
Five towns in Delaware County are holding primaries on Tuesday: Andes, Colchester, Delhi, Kortright and Middletown.
In Andes, three Democrats are vying for two slots on the November ballot for town council: Samuel Fundaro, Thomas Joyce and R. Dale Cole.
Colchester Republicans will have a choice of candidates for town supervisor: incumbent Cindy D'Onofrio or challenger Arthur Merrill, a former town council member who was appointed to serve as supervisor briefly after Ted Fonda stepped down from the post in 2012. Three candidates are also vying for two ballot slots in the town council race: Julie Markert, Mark Mattson and Alan Donner.
A Republican primary will be held in Delhi, with two candidates for town supervisor: Incumbent Pete Bracci and challenger Mark Tuthill. Three candidates are also vying for two ballot slots in the town council race: Incumbents Kevin Lee and James Bracci, and challenger Thomas Little.
Kortright Republicans will choose two candidates for town council from a slate of three: John Every, Jeffrey Haynes and Margaret Kenyon.
In Middletown, incumbent supervisor Marge Miller will fight to keep her place on the Democratic line against challenger Nelson Delameter, who has secured an endorsement from the town's Republican committee.
To see sample ballots for any of the five towns holding a primary election, see the Delaware County Board of Elections website.
GREENE COUNTY
Four towns in Greene County will host primaries on Tuesday: Athens, New Baltimore, Prattsville and Windham.
In the Athens Independence Party primary, Joseph Iraci is on the ballot against a write-in challenger for the town supervisor's race. Republican voters in Athens can choose four out of five candidates for the county Republican Committee: Anthony Paluch, Herbert Blasewitz, Marilyn Farrell, John Farrell Jr., and Frederick Dedrick II.
New Baltimore Independence voters can write in candidates for the town supervisor's race, although no candidate is on the ballot. Republicans in New Baltimore can choose between two candidates for town tax collector, Sally-Anne Russo and Diane Jordan.
A split in Prattsville's Republican party has forced a primary, with two slates of candidates battling for local representation on the county Republican Committee. On one side are "Unite Prattsville" candidates Anne Hull, Dennis Hull, Greg Cross and David Martin; on the other are "Republican Cooperation Group" candidates Carol Bellomy, Ken Maurer, Joyce Peckham and Jim Young. Voters can choose four candidates from the slate of eight. For more background on the disagreement among Prattsville's Republicans, see the Windham Journal's September 5 story on the dispute.
In Windham, Independence voters can vote for candidates in the races for town supervisor and town council. Stacy Post appears on the ballot in the town supervisor's race; Erica Regan and Edward Shanley appear on the ballot for two slots in the town council race. Voters can also write in candidates.
SULLIVAN COUNTY
Eight Sullivan County towns are holding primaries on Tuesday: Bethel, Fremont, Liberty, Lumberland, Mamakating, Neversink, Thompson and Tusten.
Bethel Democrats can vote for candidates for town supervisor, town council and highway superintendent. Seeking to run on the Democratic line for town supervisor are incumbent Daniel Sturm and challenger Judith Maidenbaum. Vying to run for highway superintendent on the Democratic line are William Crumley and Ira "Moose" Liff. Democrats can also choose two of three candidates for town council: Timothy Colainni, Lillian Hendrickson and Dawn Ryder.
Bethel also has a Republican primary, pitting James Crowley and Ronald Weiss against each other for the Republican nod for highway superintendent.
Fremont has a Republican primary, with Paul Brustman, Louis Milucky and Doris Sharp competing for two slots as Republican candidates for town council.
In Liberty, candidates John Lennon Jr. and Harold Bauman will vie for the Conservative and Independence nominations for town justice.
Three Lumberland candidates are seeking two Republican nominations for town council: Jenny Mellan, David Leamon and James Akt.
The Town of Mamakating has a Republican and a Democratic primary. Democrats can choose between two candidates for town justice: Marcelle Matthews and Cynthia Dolan. In the Republican primary, town supervisor Harold Baird seeks to fend off a challenge by John Moul, and four candidates seek two seats on the Town of Mamakating Republican Committee: John Lavelle Jr., Richard Johnson Jr., Morris Smith and John Moul.
In Neversink, candidates Mary Grace Coneely and Brian Edwards face off for the Conservative and Independence nominations for town justice.
Thompson has four primaries this year: Republican, Democratic, Conservative and Independence. Republicans can choose their candidate for town supervisor between Ramon Cedeira and Gerald Fielding. Democrats pick two from a slate of three town council candidates: Victor Marinello, John Pavese and incumbent Richard Sush. Two candidates are seeking both Conservative and Independence nominations in the race for town justice: Incumbent Martin Miller and challenger Sharon Jankiewicz.
The town of Tusten has three primaries: Democratic, Republican and Independence. Democrats can choose two of three candidates for town council: Incumbent Eileen Falk, Jane Luchsinger and Andrea Reynosa. Republicans can choose between two candidates for highway superintendent: Incumbent Glenn Swendsen and challenger Lewis Meckle III. Voters from all three parties will have a chance to choose two candidates for the town justice race from a broader slate: Charles Hoffman and Thomas Nuttycombe are seeking nominations from the Democratic, Republican and Independence parties; Carmine Rufrano is seeking nominations from the Democratic and Independence parties; and David Casey is seeking nominations from the Republican and Independence parties.
ULSTER COUNTY
Ulster County hosts a slate of seven Independence Party legislative primaries on Tuesday, most with party nominees facing write-in challengers.
Seeking the Independence Party line against write-in challengers are District 1 incumbent Mary Wawro, District 2 incumbent Robert Aiello, District 6 candidate John Quigley, District 14 incumbent Craig Lopez, District 16 candidate Frank "Lenny" Zapka, and District 19 candidate Kevin Hines.
In District 21, incumbent Ulster County legislative chair Terry Bernardo faces a challenge on the Republican line from John Dawson. If Bernardo loses, she will still run in November on the Independence and Conservative lines.
Four Ulster County towns are holding primaries on Tuesday: Gardiner, Saugerties, Wawarsing and Woodstock.
Gardiner town board member Richard Koenig faces a write-in challenge for the Independence line in the town supervisor's race.
Saugerties will have an Independence Party primary. Greg Helsmoortel is seeking the party nomination to run for town supervisor; incumbents James Bruno and Bruce Leighton are seeking nominations to run for two seats on town council; and Raymond Mayone is seeking the nomination to run for highway superintendent. In all three races, voters can write in other candidates. Independence voters can also choose one of two candidates for town justice: Incumbent Daniel Lamb and Lanny Walter.
Wawarsing has an Independence Party primary, with three incumbent candidates facing write-in challenges: Town supervisor Scott Carlsen, town council member John Gavaris, and highway superintendent Tony Paes.
Woodstock has a Democratic primary, with three candidates vying to run on the Democratic line for town supervisor, and three candidates seeking two slots on the Democratic line for town council. Seeking the Democratic nod for town supervisor are incumbent Jeremy Wilber and challengers Lorin Rose and Terrie Rosenblum, both of whom have run against Wilber before. Seeking to run as Democrats for town council are incumbents Bill McKenna and Cathy Margarelli and challenger Gary Kutcher. For more on the Woodstock races, see the Woodstock Times' September 5 article about the race.
Five of Kingston's nine wards will hold primaries for ballot slots in the races to serve on the city's common council.
