Harlem Valley candidates vie for a place on the ballot

HARLEM VALLEY — Though Election Day is months away, candidates already have their sights set on getting onto the ballot. Local Republican and Democratic committees across the Harlem Valley have been holding caucuses, and filling out petitions. No local primaries were held. 

North East

In the town of North East, the North East Democratic Committee held its caucus on Saturday, June 15, in the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex, drawing 46 local constituents.  Among the nominees endorsed by the committee, Chris Kennan, a current member of the North East Town Board, was nominated for town supervisor; he is currently running unopposed on the Democratic ticket. Incumbent Councilman John Midwood was nominated to serve a second term on the Town Board; he’s running on the Democratic line.

Current North East Town Justice Dennis Johnson was nominated for another term in office as was Town Assessor Katherine Johnson; both are running under the Democratic and Republican party lines. Gail Wheeler was nominated for the town clerk position, running under the Democratic line against current Town Clerk Lisa Cope, who is running under the independent party line Friends and Neighbors.

With the exception of the town assessor and town supervisor positions, all town positions have a four-year term; the assessor position holds a six-year term while the town supervisor is for a two-year term.

This year’s Republican candidates in the town of North East have filed designated petitions for office. According to the Dutchess County Board of Elections, in order to petition, an individual must obtain a certain number of signatures from registered voters from their political party to qualify as a candidate. The number of signatures required varies according to the town’s population and the number of people who voted in the previous gubernatorial election. If no one files a petition for any party, the town will not hold a primary election and will instead move forward with the candidates for the general election in November.

While current North East town Supervisor George Kaye previously filed a petition under the Republican party line, he later declined to run, leaving Kennan unopposed. Running under the Republican party line, Rob Cooper and Lana Morrison have filed petitions for the North East Town Board.

Amenia

In the town of Amenia, candidates for both the Republican and Democratic parties have filed petitions for office.

Running under the Republican, Independence and Conservative party lines, incumbent Victoria Perotti is running unopposed for town supervisor. Under the Democratic party lines, Vicki Doyle and Damian Gutierrez are running as incumbent candidates for the Amenia Town Board. Norman Moore is running as an incumbent candidate for town justice under the Republican party line.

All positions entail a four-year term with the exception of the two-year term for the town supervisor.

Pine Plains

Both the Pine Plains Republican and Democratic Committees organized their annual caucuses in the Community Room above the Pine Plains Free Library, with the Republican Committee hosting its caucus on Tuesday, June 11, and the Democratic Committee hosting its caucus on Friday, June 14.

Dutchess County Legislator Gregg Pulver (R-19) reported that the Pine Plains Republican Committee had more than 50 constituents at the caucus. The committee cross-endorsed current Pine Plains town Supervisor Darrah Cloud and current Town Clerk Judy Harpp, both of whom are running uncontested under the Republican and Democratic party lines. The committee also cross-endorsed incumbents Sarah Jones and Don Bartles for the Pine Plains Town Board and recently retired Assessor Jim Mara for town assessor. Incumbent Highway Superintendent Heather Emerich was also nominated for another term in office.

At the Pine Plains Democratic Committee’s caucus, Cloud delivered her platform for another term as town supervisor, as did Jones and Bartles as council members and Emerich for highway superintendent. The committee nominated both Mara and Richard Diaz for town assessor, though Mara declined the committee’s nomination.

Washington

Just like the town of Amenia, candidates from the town of Washington opted to file a designated petition for office. Running under the Democratic party line, Jeffry Giardina petitioned for town justice. To date, the Dutchess County Board of Elections has received only Giardina’s petition from Washington

This year’s general election has been scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5.