Polls open today for some area voters

Staff Report

September 09, 2008 04:00 am

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The 2008 state and local election season begins today for registered Conservative voters in Otsego County, as well as for Democrats and Republicans in Schoharie County.

Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. There are no primaries in Delaware or Chenango counties.

Otsego Conservatives will be choosing which of two candidates will run on their party's line to succeed Michael Coccoma as county judge. He was elected a state Supreme Court justice last November.

On the ballot today are interim Judge Jhilmil Ghaleb, a non-aligned voter who was appointed judge in June, and John Lambert, a Republican who is the county's chief assistant district attorney.

Ghaleb will be listed on the Democratic and Working Families lines on the November ballot. Lambert also filed for Republican and Independence spots.

Both candidates live in Cooperstown, where Lambert is in private practice with former Assistant District Attorney Michael Trosset. Ghaleb's private practice had been based in Richfield Springs.

The Conservative Party in Otsego has about 430 voters out of more than 20,000 in the county.

All Conservative voters in the city of Oneonta will vote at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. In the town of Oneonta, they will vote at the town hall; in the town of Otsego, at St. Mary's Church; and in the town of Worcester, at the fire hall.

County judges are elected to 10-year terms and earn $119,800 a year.

In Schoharie County, voters will go to the polls to decide who gets major party nods in the race to succeed Rep. Michael McNulty in the 21st Congressional District. McNulty, a Democrat, is not seeking another term.

Republicans will choose between Steven Vasquez of Guilderland and James R. Buhrmaster of Scotia.

Democrats will decide between Tracey Brooks of Coeymans, Paul D. Tonko of Amsterdam, Darius Shahinfar of Albany, Joseph P. Sullivan of Albany and Phillip G. Steck of Colonie.

Democrats countywide will also vote for members of the 127th District state committee. The male candidates are Richard G. Shultes vying against Carl L. Sand, and in the female contest, Betsy Bernocco is facing off against Ginny Kintz.

Town of Seward Democrats will choose a member of the county committee from among three candidates: J. Carl Barbic, Larry R. Phillips and James R. Donahue.