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Democratic and Republican committees caucus for 2021 election

PINE PLAINS — With the 2021 General Election just a few months away, the Pine Plains Democratic and Republican committees organized their respective caucuses this summer to nominate candidates for office.

Among the positions up for election, local voters will have the opportunity to elect their town supervisor, town justice, town assessor, town clerk and two seats on the Pine Plains Town Board. The election is on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The town supervisor will serve a two-year term while all of the remaining positions are for four-year terms.

Democrats

The Pine Plains Democratic Committee held its caucus on Sunday afternoon, June 13, while the Pine Plains Republican Committee held its caucus on Monday evening, July 19. Both caucuses were held at the Pine Plains Lions Club Pavilion on Beach Road.

Because long-time and much-loved Town Clerk Judy Harpp had not announced her plans to retire after 30 years of service at the time of the June Democratic caucus, the Democrats did not nominate a candidate for that position. 

However, the Democratic Committee did nominate current town Supervisor Darrah Cloud to run for re-election. Having previously campaigned for town supervisor under the Independent party line, Cloud, a registered Democrat, has decided to run on the Democratic party line this year. 

The committee also nominated Diana Woolis, a registered Democrat, and current Councilman Matthew Zick, who is registered with No Official Party (NOP), to run for the two seats that will be open on the Town Board. 

It also cross-endorsed current Town Justice David Humeston, a Republican, to run for another term; and current Assessor Lynda Wisdo (NOP) to run for another term in the Assessors’ Office.

Republicans

Meanwhile, the Pine Plains Republican Committee nominated Brian Walsh for town supervisor; Zick and Robert Ambrose for the Town Board; Humeston for town justice; Wisdo for assessor; and Madelin Chase for town clerk. 

Like Wisdo and Zick, Chase is registered as NOP, while Humeston, Walsh and Ambrose are all registered Republicans.

Kaitlin Lyle

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