County exec race tops ballot
Primaries also set for county legislature, Watervliet council seats
Voters throughout the area will head to the polls Tuesday to decide who they want to see on the ballot on Election Day in a host of local races.
Throughout Rensselaer County, Republicans will be going to the polls to decide who their party’s nominee will be to replace county Executive Kathleen Jimino, who decided in the spring not to run for a fifth- fouryear term. Jimino’s longtime deputy, Christopher Meyer, received the endorsement of the county Republican Com-
mittee, but he is being challenged for the GOP line on the Nov. 7 general election ballot by Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin.
The campaign has been a contentious one, capped by a televised debate Thursday at which Meyer touted his experience as Jimino’s right- hand man and his in- depth experience working on a host of county issues, while McLaughlin focused on his experience in Albany and how he can leverage that to better serve county residents.
The two will also square off for the Conservative Party line on a general election ballot that will also include Democrat Andrea Smyth and Green Party hopeful Wayne Foy.
One other countywide race is also going before voters Tuesday, but in the race to replace Andrew Ceresia as Rensselaer County Court judge, Democrat Jennifer Sober and Republican
Philip Danaher are battling only for minor party lines, including those of the Conservative, Greem, Working Families, Independence, Women’s Equality and Reform parties.
Across the Hudson River in Watervliet, Democrats Peg Germano, Jeff Foster and Frank McGrouty will square off for the right to represent the party in the race against Republican Andrew Williams to replace Nicholas Foglia, a Democrat who resigned from the council earlier this year for personal reasons.
Other contested majorparty primaries are in District 3 of the Rensselaer County Legislature, which includes the towns of Brunswick, Pittstown and Schaghticoke, where incumbent Republicans Todd Tesman and Majority Leader Kenneth Harrington are joined by Daniel Casale and Michael Bayly in the race for three open seats, and in Pittstown itself, where incumbent Matthew Demars faces a challenge from Paul Campbell for the GOP nomination to be the town’s highway superintendent.
Several other races will see minor- party primaries, however, including the campaign to represent the city of Troy on the Rensselaer County Legislature. In the Conservative Party primary, Troy High varsity football coach Bobby Burns is challenging the Republican slate of Darcie Cunningham- Casey, Laurie Kennedy, Beth- Wright Clemente, former mayor Harry Tutunjian and current City Council members Dean Bodnar and Kimberly Ashe- McPherson, while in the Independence Party vote, City Councilwoman Erin Sullivan- Teta will challenge the GOP contenders.
A primary is also set in Legislative District 4, which includes the towns of Nassau, Sand Lake and Schodack and where incumbent Republican Robert Loveridge is facing Jacob Ashby, Scott Bendett and Tracey Rex for three Independence Party ballot positions.
Polls are open from noon to 9 p. m. Tuesday. For a complete list of races, as well as polling locations and other information, visit the Rensselaer County Board of Elections website at www.rensco.com/ departments/ board- of- elections or the Albany County Board of Elections website at www.albanycounty.com/government/departments/boardofelections. aspx.