Local voters, candidates ready for primary

Elysia Glover Assistant News Editor

Candidates across Dutchess County are gearing up for the final campaign push before voters take to the polls in the general election on Nov. 6. Members of the Vassar College Democrats will team up with local candidates vying for positions in the general election.

County Legislator Fred Knapp (D) will take on Councilman John Tkazyik (R) in the race for City of Poughkeepsie Mayor. Knapp beat out incumbent mayor Nancy Cozean in the Democratic primary. Tkazyik ran unopposed in the Republican race.

The Vassar College Democrats chose a neutral path during the primary race, opting to not support the campaign of a particular candidate. President of the Vassar College Democrats Alex Sheff ’08, explained that they had made that decision due to concerns over the divisive effect the race had had on Democrats in the Poughkeepsie area.

“It was a tricky election that split the Poughkeepsie Democrats between the two candidates,” said Sheff. “The primaries were early in the year and not a good time for us as we were just getting started. Also, it was a pretty bloody battle as far as things went, and we didn’t want to end up on the wrong side.”

Cozean had been criticized by some for not being as progressive as many members of the mostly Democratic City Council would have liked.

With the completion of the primaries, Sheff said the the Vassar College Democrats will support Knapp leading up to the Nov. 6 election.

“We met with him on Tuesday evening and are going to help them with phone banking and several canvasses, with one in mid-October and a second the week before the election in November,” Sheff said.

The Vassar College Democrats will also be working alongside Poughkeepsie High School students in a voter registration drive over the next two weeks.

“One key to [Knapp]’s campaign is getting voters who may not have
participated in previous campaigns involved now,” said Sheff.

Sheff pointed to the focus of Knapp’s campaign on a number of issues surrounding the urban renewal projects in Poughkeepsie, particularily affordable housing and the increase of funding for daycare subsidies. Sheff added , “That is why it is important to make sure that those people for who those issues are important get to vote.”

He added that with Knapp’s predicted victory in the mayoral race, there will be a good possibility for “progress in urban renewal areas that was limited before.”

This November, voters will also elect district representatives, selected council members, a country legislator and a county commisioner.

Voting elected local and county government positions will take place at polling stations across the county on Nov. 6. Voters must register no later than Oct. 12.