Letter to the Editor

The democratic process

By Ted Millar, Marlborough Democratic Committee Chair
Posted 7/22/21

The Marlborough Democratic Committee wishes to extend its congratulations to the slate of Republican candidates who recently received the conservative endorsement. We look forward to a spirited …

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Letter to the Editor

The democratic process

Posted

The Marlborough Democratic Committee wishes to extend its congratulations to the slate of Republican candidates who recently received the conservative endorsement. We look forward to a spirited issues-based campaign season.

We would also like to express our disappointment over County Legislator Tom Corcoran’s desire to lodge a fallacious attack on the Democratic Committee’s decision to adopt a primary nominating format in lieu of a caucus.

It is important for the public to know the Marlborough Democratic Committee voted in February to adopt this change after several other regional town committees, like Saugerties, Olive, and Rochester, decided to institute a similar democratic process that transfers the onus of running elections from the Democratic party to the Board of Elections.

The Marlborough Democratic Committee’s nomination of candidates was only the first step in the transparent process since it required circulating petitions for town residents’ signatures, which were then turned over to the county Board of Elections. 

The COVID-19 public health emergency was another crucial consideration. We were under a strict deadline in order to comply with the Board of Elections once we decided to proceed with this change. At that time, vaccinations were just beginning, and we did not know what the guidelines for public gatherings would be at the appropriate caucus time. We did not feel it prudent to assume we would be able to hold a caucus open to all residents, vaccinated or not, lest the pandemic continue to present a threat.

Hopefully our Republican challengers will proceed henceforth in an honest direction, free of ad hominem attacks, focusing on the issues concerning Marlborough residents. Voters deserve nothing less.