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GIVE BACK THE MEANING TO DEMOCRACY
"You will remember the man who's name you cannot forget"...
Vote For
"The Man with Intestinal Fortitude"
2003 Independence candidate for
Dutchess County Sheriff
"No matter who is Sheriff of Dutchess County, Criminal arrests will always continue to be made, criminals will continue to be sentenced and jailed; - but how it is directed and enforced, is what will determine the final cost of this outcome, of which is of major importance to the taxpaying citizen."
Saint Angel
FORCED SHERIFF INDEPENDENCE PRIMARY
"Vote" on
SEPTEMBER, 9TH. 2003
(PLEASE CLICK LINK ABOVE FOR MORE INFORMATION)
Two GOP incumbents are being forced to face off against each other in District 4 in Hyde Park and District 21 in East Fishkill.
A Democratic match up in the City of Poughkeepsie's District 10 pits an incumbent county legislator against a sitting city councilwoman. Another Democratic primary in District 20 in Red Hook features two candidates who have never held public office.
The increased competition for county Legislature seats is due, at least in part, to the pending downsizing of the 35-seat body, which county voters approved in 1997. Candidates are running under 25 new districts approved by lawmakers last year.
Sheriff challenged
Tuesday's primary also features numerous third-party primaries for various seats around Dutchess in what is normally a busy local election year. The only countywide race on the ballot Tuesday is an Independence Party primary for sheriff, featuring incumbent Adrian Anderson, 55, and Town of Poughkeepsie resident Candis Saint Angel, 65.
Voters aren't expected to turn out in droves, elections officials said.
''All in all, a very light turnout day,'' Dutchess Republican Elections Commissioner David Gamache said. ''You don't have what you would call a prime-time race.''
Besides the county races, Democrats also are holding a mayoral primary in the City of Poughkeepsie, as well as one for Common Council in the 3rd Ward. There's also a Democratic primary for a town board seat in the Town of Poughkeepsie's 5th Ward.
Republican primaries for town supervisor are on tap in Pleasant Valley and North East.
Ulster County elections officials also expect a busy day Tuesday, but there are no primary races in the southeastern portion of the county. The primaries being run in Ulster are mostly for third-party lines.
''It will be interesting to see what the turnout is,'' Ulster Republican Elections Commissioner Tom Turco said. ''Anything 20 percent and above is considered good.''
Dutchess officials are hopeful they can reach that mark as well.
Democratic Elections Commissioner Fran Knapp said turnout in Dutchess was about 15 percent for the primary four years ago. The Democratic mayoral primary is expected to boost turnout overall, she said.
''Both candidates in the Democratic mayoral primary are actively working, going door to door, doing mailings,'' Knapp said. ''There's a lot of voters aware of the primaries.''
The following candidates are running in major party primaries for Dutchess County Legislature:
District 4: Republican incumbents Robert Clearwater and Mark Sheedy go up against each other. Clearwater, 59, is seeking a second two-year term. Sheedy, 51, is in his 12th year on the Legislature. Democrat Brenda Moore-Frazier already is on the November ballot.
District 21: Republican incumbents Margaret Horton and Sandra Noel face off. Horton, 52, was appointed to her current seat in April 2002 after her husband, Robert Horton, stepped down. Noel, 60, has served in the Legislature for more than 15 years. The winner in Tuesday's race will be unopposed in November.
District 10: Democratic incumbent Mario Johnson, 36, in his eighth year in the Legislature, runs against Barbara Jeter-Jackson, 65, the Poughkeepsie Common Council Minority Leader who is barred from running for re-election to that post by term limits. The winner will be unopposed in November.
District 20: Larry Kopczak and Frank Stoppenbach are running in a Democratic primary. Kopczak, 48, sells commercial real estate and is making his first run for elected office. Stoppenbach, 63, is a computer consultant who has twice run unsuccessfully for the Legislature. The winner will run against Republican incumbent Marc Molinaro in November.
Where to vote: Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. in Dutchess and Ulster counties for Tuesday's primary elections. Results will be available on the Web for the Dutchess races beginning shortly after 9 p.m. at www.dutchesselections.com. For information, call the Dutchess Board of Elections at (845) 486-2473 or the Ulster Board of Elections at (845) 334-5470.
Please feel free to contact these candidates if you have any questions or comments by the following
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