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After months of campaigning, St. Lawrence County voters to select congressman, state reps, county legislators on Tuesday

Posted 10/31/10

After months of campaigning, St. Lawrence County voters go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2 to select a congressman, state representatives and a number of new faces for the county legislature. Several …

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After months of campaigning, St. Lawrence County voters to select congressman, state reps, county legislators on Tuesday

Posted

After months of campaigning, St. Lawrence County voters go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2 to select a congressman, state representatives and a number of new faces for the county legislature.

Several local contests will also be decided in Canton, Hopkinton and Stockholm

The highest-profile contests have been for the 23rd Congressional district and 48th state Senate seat.

Incumbent Democrat Bill Owens of Plattsburgh is facing Republican Matthew Doheny of Watertown. Conservative Douglas L. Hoffman will also appear on the Conservative party line, but he has since dropped out of the race.

Democratic incumbent Darrel J. Aubertine of Cape Vincent is facing a strong challenge from Republican St. Lawrence County Clerk Patty Ritchie of Heuvelton for the 48th state Senate seat. The district includes Canton, Ogdensburg, Waddington and the rest of the western half of St. Lawrence County and all of Jefferson and Oswego counties.

The race for the 47th state Senate district, which covers Massena, Potsdam and the eastern half of St. Lawrence County along with areas south to Utica, has been much less active. Republican incumbent Joe Griffo of Utica is being challenged by Democrat Michael J. Hennessy, an Oneida County legislator.

For state Assembly, Incumbent Democrat Addie J. Russell of Theresa is facing Republican David W. Forsythe of Lisbon for the 118th District, which includes the northern half of St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties, including Canton and Potsdam.

In the 122nd Assembly district, Republican Ken Blackenbush of Black River is running against Democrat Brian McGrath of Martinsburg to replace Republican Deidre Scozzafava. The district covers the southern half of St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties, including Parishville, Pierrepont, Russell, Gouverneur, Madrid, Norfolk and Stockholm. Scozzafava has endorsed McGrath.

County Races

At the county level, a number of new faces are guaranteed to be elected as several legislators have chosen not to run again this year.

Also, four people are running for two county coroner positions – Democrats James M. Sienkiewycz and Brett D. Grandaw and Republicans Matthew R. Denner and Joseph E. White.

Republican Kevin Felt is running without any opposition even though David Button’s name will appear on the Conservative party line. Button dropped out of the race after losing the GOP primary.

Contested county legislator races in the Greater Canton-Potsdam area include:

• District 7, Republican Scott Sutherland vs. Conservative Lucien N. Plante, to replace Democrat Laura J. Perry, who chose not to run again.

• District 8, Republican Kevin Acres and Conservative Russ Finley to replace Democrat Tedra L. Cobb, who chose not to run again; Matthew J. Flynn will also appear on the Independent party line, but he recently dropped out of the race after losing the GOP primary.

• District 9, Democrat Stephen Putman vs. Republican John Clark to replace Democrat Peter FitzRandolph.

• District 10, Democrat Jim A. Bunstone, Republican Karl Ortmeyer and independent incumbent J. Patrick Turbett, who failed to gain the Democratic nod again this year due to filing technicalities.

• District 11, Democrat Gavin Regan and Republican Daniel F. Parker, for the seat now held by Democrat Charles E. House Jr.

Local Races

A number of local contests will also be decided by voters. The contested races include:

• Village of Canton, Democrat Greg Storie and Republican Carol Sheesley for a village justice post; and Republicans David Curry and Mary Ann Ashley and Democrat Jesse Coburn for two village trustee seats.

• Town of Canton, Republican Thomas B. Wheeler and Democrat Christopher Curley for town justice, and Republican Michael K. Morgan and Democrat James Smith for a one-year unexpired town council seat.

• Town of Hopkinton, David Beekman, Joachim Van Ells and Stephen J. Bory for town justice.

• Town of Stockholm, Democrat Nancy Lynch vs. Republican Kenneth W. Everhart for a one-year town council seat.