WADDINGTON -- Teamsters Local 687 endorsed Waddington Town Supervisor Alex Hammond for NYS Assembly.

Hammond is the Democratic nominee for the River District, the 116th NYS Assembly District. The seat is currently held by Republican Mark Walczyk.

Teamsters Local 687 has over a thousand members in the North Country, including in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties.

“As a Town Supervisor who has worked with municipal employees in the district, Alex understands the importance of working together for the betterment of our entire community. He will be a great voice for this district in Albany and his strong ties to labor will allow all working men and women to have representation. Please join me in supporting Alex Hammond for the NYS Assembly,” said ​Christopher Reagan, Treatment Operator for Village of Waddington Department of Public Works and Vice President of Teamsters Local 687

“Many towns and villages in this district are served by their Department of Public Works and Highway Department employees. These people are Teamsters, and they have been working non-stop during the pandemic to ensure that your roads are maintained, your sewer runs from your house, your water runs to your house, and your municipality services are ensured throughout the pandemic. These are the people we need to thank. I am honored to have their endorsement. They work hard day-in and day-out and never ask for a thing. I will work for all North Country families and workers.” — ​Alex Hammond

Hammond was recently endorsed by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which is the largest healthcare union in the United States.

Hammond graduated from Madrid-Waddington Central School in 2014. Upon graduation, he entered Valley Forge Military College, a 2-year military college in Pennsylvania. At VFMC, he concentrated in government and politics and enrolled in the Army Early Commissioning Program.

He received an associate's degree and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the New York Army National Guard.

Hammond has been serving as an officer in the New York Army National Guard since 2016, and is currently with the 2nd 108th Infantry Battalion in Utica, NY.

In the fall of 2016, Alex enrolled at Cornell University to study industrial and labor relations.

“In the fall of 2017, he found himself home over the summer in Waddington and was disgruntled like many others, and wanted to see real change in his community. He decided to throw his hat in the ring for Town Supervisor while still a senior at Cornell,” a press release said.

In November, Alex won, and, in January, he was sworn in at the age of 21, becoming the youngest town supervisor in the state of New York.

After graduating with his bachelor's degree in the spring, Hammond returned to his home town of Waddington accepting a position as a music teacher at Madrid-Waddington Central School.

After his time teaching, Alex was activated and sent to Fort Jackson, SC for his advanced officer training. Upon return to Waddington, he started working as a local sales representative with WB Mason.

In January of 2020, Alex was appointed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to serve on the SUNY Potsdam College Council. In his tenure on the board, he has been able to develop a strong sense for the colleges in the district and the economic impact they provide to those prospective communities.

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex was called to active duty with the national guard to help assist in the fight against the virus. While on active duty, Alex continued to teach remotely and lead his town. Now coming off orders, Alex is excited to reignite his Assembly campaign and bring new and reliable leadership to Albany for the people of the River District,” the press release said.