CHATHAM–Both major political parties in the town have held their caucuses to choose candidates for the November election, with each party picking a person to head the ticket who is not enrolled in the party.
The town Republican Party caucus was held July 14 at the Chatham Fire House in the Village of Chatham. The party members attending the caucus approved the full slate of candidates endorsed by the Republican Committee.
The candidates who will be on the November ballot are incumbent Jesse DeGroodt for Town Supervisor; Jeanette Linville and Julia Veronezi for the Town Board seats; and incumbents James Borgia-Forster (D) and Jason Shaw (D) for town justice.
Mr. DeGroodt is not enrolled in a political party.
According to the Chatham GOP’s Facebook page, the town supervisor race was the only contested one. Councilwoman Maria Lull ran against Mr. DeGroodt. The caucus vote was 70 to 60 in favor of Mr. DeGroodt.
Chatham Democrats held their caucus on July 19 at 6 Jones Avenue. They endorsed Ms. Lull, a registered Republican, for town supervisor. Incumbent Bob Balcom was chosen to run again for his seat on the Town Board; Landra Haber will be the party’s nominee for the other open board seat. With the Democrats’ cross-endorsement of Judge Borgia- Forster and Judge Shaw, the two incumbent judges now have the ballot lines of both parties.
Ernie Reis, chairman of the town Democratic Party, estimated that there were 40 to 50 people at the caucus and that a voice votes were, with overwhelming yes votes for Ms. Lull, who was nominated by Ms. Haber. Two years ago Ms. Lull defeated Ms. Haber by one vote in a race for a seat on the Town Board.
