State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, and his Democratic challenger, Caroline Town Supervisor Donald Barber, have filed nominating petitions to run for the 51st District state Senate seat this year.
According to a statement released by Seward's office Thursday, the incumbent filed more than 6,000 signatures, including 5,072 for the GOP, 615 for the Independence Party, and 390 for the Conservative Party nominations.
``I am excited and delighted by the outpouring of support for my candidacy," Seward said in a prepared statement. ``People across the district have warmly encouraged me to run again, and as I've been going door to door, the support has been just overwhelming."
He continued, ``The challenges that face us are clear: property tax relief for middle-class taxpayers, help with energy costs, and jobs and economic development. My experience will help us get the changes that are important to move our state forward.''
Barber's campaign filed more than 2,600 signatures with the state Board of Elections on Wednesday, his campaign announced. He is seeking the nominations of the Democratic and Working Families parties in his bid to unseat Seward, a 22-year incumbent.
Barber opposes gerrymandering, the practice of drawing district lines to protect the incumbent and discourage opponents from challenging entrenched legislators, his campaign said by e-mail to The Daily Star.
"People in our district have had enough of gerrymandering that limits their choice of candidates. They signed our petitions because they want a choice, and they want change," Barber stated.
The candidates have already been sparring over issues, including the need for a moratorium on drilling for natural gas.
Late last month, Barber said he believes a moratorium would serve landowners and municipal officials well, as gas companies and their affiliates rush to have leases signed.
Seward, former chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, said a moratorium would be counterproductive at a time of rising energy prices.
Also Thursday, Otsego County's two announced candidates for county judge, Jhilmil Ghaleb and John Lambert, filed nominating petitions with the county Board of Elections.
The deadline to file nominating petitions was 5 p.m. Thursday.
By that time, Lambert, the county's chief assistant district attorney, had filed Republican, Conservative and Independence Party petitions, according to Lucinda Jarvis, deputy Democratic elections commissioner.
Lambert is a Republican.
Ghaleb, who was appointed an interim county judge last month, filed petitions to be on the Conservative, Democratic, Independence and Working Families parties' lines, Jarvis said.
Ghaleb is an unaffiliated, or independent, voter.
Jarvis said that if the petitions are not successfully challenged, the judicial candidates will face each other in the Independence and Conservative party primaries in September before facing each other in the general election.
Elsewhere in the area, Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup Jr. has filed a petition to seek election for a fourth four-year term in office, a county Board of Election spokeswoman said Thursday.
Northrup is the only candidate seeking the position, officials said.
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