The 703 members of the town’s Independence Party could play a decisive role in this year’s election. Nearly all local races are on the Sept. 10 ballot. The Independence Party held a county caucus but not a town caucus. The nominees for town office were selected by the statewide party and announced by county Chairman Len Bernardo. The names of the nominees will appear on the ballot, while supporters of challengers will have to write in their picks. Challengers had to file petitions signed by five percent of the town’s Independence Party members to force a primary for their desired offices, though the challengers have no advantage over another candidate who might organize a write-in candidacy on that line. (For instance, though Kelly Myers filed the paperwork to challenge Greg Helsmoortel for supervisor, Gaetana Ciarlante supporters could still vote for her.)
Here are the candidates; party pick with challenger in parenthesis.
Ulster County Legislature
District I – Mary Wawro (Beth Murphy)
District II – Robert Aiello (Chris Allen)
(District III pick Dean Fabiano was not challenged)
Town office
Supervisor – Greg Helsmoortel (Kelly Myers)
Town Board – James Bruno and Bruce Leighton (Bill Schirmer and Marjorie Block)
Highway superintendent – Ray Mayone (Doug Myer)
(Town Clerk Lisa Stanley and Receiver of Taxes Suzi Filak were not challenged)
Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center on Market St., Glasco Firehouse on Liberty St. and Grant D. Morse Elementary School on Harry Wells Rd. (Blue Mountain Rd.).
Only members of the Independence Party may vote. Political independents—those who belong to no party—cannot.
The primary will use electronic voting machines.
Write-in votes can’t be cast with stickers, however, a stamp with candidate’s name can be used, according to election officials. The scanner will pick up that something has been stamped on the ballot, so officials can hand count that ballot.
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