PRIMARY DAY
By mail or polls, New York voters will have their say
RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. » Tuesday, June 23, marks Primary Day in New York state. Polls are open for registered voters to participate from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, any eligible voter is allowed to vote via absentee ballot.
Depending on which party they’re registered under, Rensselaer County voters can expect to see some fairly prominent races, including the Democratic presidential primary candidates and delegates, even though Joe Biden has all but locked up the presumptive presidential nomination to run against President Donald Trump in November.
Registered Democratic voters in New York’s 20th Congressional District will also see the names of Democratic presidential candidates and delegates, as well as candidates for Albany County District Attorney, which includes incumbent David Soares and challenger Matt Toporowski.
Rensselaer County Republicans will have the opportunity to choose the candidate contesting incumbent Democrat Antonio Delgado in the fall, in New York’s 19th Congressional District. Ola Hawatmeh squares off against Kyle Van De Water.
On the state level, Democrats will have the chance to select either incumbent John McDonald III or his challenger Albany County Legislator Sam Fein for the
New York State Assembly’s 108th District.
During their recent online candidate forum, the two touched on topics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery, the environment and racial justice and police reform.
“We’ve already started to take action. We [recently] took action and we took it swiftly. We appropriated $100 million of federal money that came to the state to help both tenants and landlords,” McDonald noted on action taken by the Assembly in recovery efforts.
In addition to a tax on the wealthiest New Yorkers, Fein laid out the steps he’d like to see taken to help the state rebound from the crisis.
“Things like the stock transfer tax, the ultra billionaires tax, the pied- aterre that would tax highvalue properties in New York City,” Fein said during the recent online debate.
Before legislation sponsored and passed by McDonald and Sen. Neil Breslin, prohibiting the incineration of AFFF with PFAs, McDonald said this of his record on the environment.
“As a health care professional, I see this, I’m more sensitive than the average person to this because I know about the high intensity of asthma in our children in these communities. That’s why I’ve worked collaboratively with all of the elected officials at the local level, state level, county level, and the federal government to bring solutions,” McDonald said.
Fein also noted what he wanted to see done in the Cohoes neighborhood impacted by Norlite.
“We have to build new safe housing there in Norlite. It’s great that action was taken to PFAS but at the same time a lot more has to be done and we need much stricter regulations,” Fein said.
Both candidates supported repealing 50- a, which passed last week, a law which had previously sealed police conduct.
Additionally, each candidate called on more independent oversight when it comes to ethics reform.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 1 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Janice A. Liberty, Edward A. Martin Jr., Johanna M. Flanigan, and Ronald M. Sinico.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 2 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Richard Fennelly, G. Todd D’Avella, and Joshua A. Sabo.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 3 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Ernest Kern, Thomas F. McGrath Jr., Maureen T. Rogers, and Jack Rogers.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 5 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Delores A. Celeste, Melissa Shanley, Edward R. Dickinson, and Brittney S. Yatrakis.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 6 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Justan J. Foster, John M. Hebert, Jodi Hebert, and Brian S. Zweig.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 7 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between John A. Kern, Matthew R. Sousa, Daniel B. Brown, and Charles B. Smith.
Democrats in North Greenbush Election District 8 will vote for two of any candidates for Member of County Committee, between Mary F. Sabo, Daniel C. Ashley, Michael J. Derevlaney, and Jennifer L. Massey.
East Greenbush registered Green Party voters will select between Jessica B. Mocerine, and Phillip J. Vecchio Sr. for Town Justice candidate. Registered Independent voters will also have the chance to pick between the two aforementioned candidates as well. The same holds true for registered Working Families Party voters.
Registered Independent voters in North Greenbush will choose between Jessica M. Merola and Michael A. Helinski for Town Council. Registered Conservative Party voters will also have the opportunity to vote for either one of the aforementioned candidates.
Those voters with additional questions are encouraged to contact the Rensselaer County Board of Elections at (518) 270-2990.