Good question.

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benny salami 41 minutes ago  

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36.36%  This just in from the Board of Elections:

      Angelo Santabarbara has made election history and finished first in the write-in primary for the important Conservative endorsement in District 4. He has finished far ahead of the machine Democratic Candidates. Congrats and Bravo to Angelo who is a successful businessman and will be a huge asset in the County Legislature. This will be the first of many victories for him.

      As far as Carolina Lazzari, the news is not so good. She will finish a mere 4 votes behind Democratic Tony. If she had listened to Gadfly, we would have seen history made with both write-ins winning over Machine Candidates listed on the machine. Unfortunately, Ms.Lazzari followed the advice of the GOP Chairman, who has stated repeatedly that 3rd party lines are not worth fighting for, County seats are not worth fighting for, and County wide races are not worth fighting for. This is tragic because Carolina is a real Conservative who should have listened to more sage advice.

This was posted on the Schenectady's Virtual Internet Community (Pat Zollinger's) forum.  Not sure of the validity of the report.  Nothing updated on the Schenectady County Board of Election web page.

I am pleased to hear that Angelo has won. However, I am not so pleased to hear about Ms. Lazzari. She may not be in an elected position, but she can still rally the troops! And that is what we need these days.

As far as the so called 'republican chair'....whom I am assuming is Buchanan....he has got to go. He needs to join another party as he is truly not representing the reps and their or our best interest.

Bumble,

The election on Sep. 18th was a primary election only for the Conservative Party endorsement for the District IV seats on the Schenectady County Legislature.  If the (unconfirmed) information is correct, the following individuals will be vying for the two seats.

Carolina Lazzari (R) - incumbent
Angelo Santabarbara (R,C)
Anthony Jasenski (D,C,WF) - appointee to Kent Gray's vacated seat, incumbent
Robert Godlewski (D,WF)

I am unaware of the endorsements of the Independence party for these positions.

I believe that Carolina and Angelo both have excellent chances of taking both seats on the County Legislature.  We all need to work to this end so that we may put into office those who would challenge the (11-4) Democratic majority in the legislative body and their reckless spending of taxpayer dollars.

Sorry, I MENT to type...that even if Ms.Lazzari is not in elected position, she would still be very valuable in ralling the troops.

That is what happens when I'm short on time, type faster than my brain thinks and then don't re-read what I typed!

I absolutely agree that Ms.Lazzari and Mr. Santabarbara would be 2 key players on the county legislature. I do know for a fact that Mr. Godlewski would be just a blend with the rest of the democratic dictatorship. He would DEFINATELY be a follower and DOES have the same idiology as the county majority. It would be a step backwards if he were elected into that position. Carolina and Angelo would moving us in a forward position.

And may I say 'thank you' to Kevin March for speaking up for all of us at the meeting. Well done!!

http://www.dailygazette.com

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SCHENECTADY COUNTY
Conservatives nominate two
Santabarbara, Jasenski win ballot lines in District 4
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

   Political newcomer Angelo Santabarbara waged a successful write-in campaign to capture the Conservative Party line in the Sept. 18 primary for District 4 of the Schenectady County Legislature.
   Republican Santabarbara received 152 votes to tie with the other winner, Democratic candidate, Anthony W. Jasenski, according to official results announced Wednesday by the Schenectady County Board of Elections. The top two vote-getters received the ballot line.
   The other candidates for the Conservative ballot spots, Democratic candidate Robert Godlewski received 151 votes and Republican candidate Carolina Lazzari received 133 votes.
   All four candidates will be on the ballot in November when voters will elect two legislators in District 4 where Lazzari and Jasenski are incumbents.
   Elsewhere, six other county seats are in play this year. Of the eight seats, five currently are held by Democrats and three by Republicans. Democrats control the county Legislature with an 11-4 majority.
   Approximately 327 Conservatives voted on machines and 25 submitted paper ballots in the primary. Twenty-one paper votes were thrown out for Election Law technicalities.
   The Conservative Party had endorsed both Jasenski and Godlewski, but Santabarbara and Lazzari filed opportunity to ballot petitions, which forced the primary.
   Conservative Party Chairman Randy Pascarella congratulated the winners, saying rank-and-file party members decided the issue. “Our whole position during the primary was to let members make their own choices and let it run its course,” he said. “The party did choose to go with Bob and he did not make it. Are we disappointed Bob lost and Angelo got the line? No.”
   Pascarella said the party’s executive committee interviewed Godlewski, Jasenski and Santabarbara. It did not interview Lazzari because she was not a candidate to state Supreme Court, Buchanan said.
   Quail said “there were challenges, but in the end every valid vote we were capable of counting was counted.” Republican Election Commissioner Art Brassard agreed with Quail’s statement: “We view this election as over.”
   Brassard also said both Santabarbara and Lazzari outpolled Democrats in Duanesburg and Princetown by margins of at least 5-to-1. He called the turnout a backlash against the Democrat-controlled county Legislature’s controversial sex offender residency restriction law.
   The law prohibits convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of facilities catering to children, such as schools and playgrounds. Town residents said the law will force convicted sex offenders into their neighborhoods, where child related facilities are scarcer than in the city.  

   She later decided to seek reelection to the county Legislature, but re-entered the race too late for third-party endorsements.
   “When Carolina jumped in, we had a lot of people in the Conservative Party in favor of her. If Carolina was in there from beginning, we might have taken a harder look at her,” Pascarella said.
   Santabarbara said he was happy to win. “I really worked hard and I feel I am one of most conservative candidates in this race. I wanted the Conservative Party to decide, which is why I went with this opportunity to ballot,” he said. “I appreciate all the conservatives who came out to support me and write in my name.”
   Godlewski said he knew the fi nal results were going to be close. “It goes to show it was a tough decision for everybody. That’s how the election process works,” he said. “And now we will move forward into the campaign and we let the voters decide who is the best candidate.”
   Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail, who also serves as the county’s Democratic election commissioner, said, “Obviously we would have preferred that both Mr. Jasenski and Mr. Godlewski won.”
   Quail added: “Both are very strong candidates, and Mr. Godlewski will fare just fine in the general election.”
   Schenectady County Republican Chairman Tom Buchanan said Santabarbara’s primary victory “makes him a frontrunner in the campaign.”
   Republicans chose not to challenge 21 objections to paper ballots raised by Democrats.

  
  
  

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Godlewski said he knew the fi nal results were going to be close. “It goes to show it was a tough decision for everybody. That’s how the election process works,” he said. “And now we will move forward into the campaign and we let the voters decide who is the best candidate.”

It goes to show there is a train of change coming and the steam is just building up......

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Republicans chose not to challenge 21 objections to paper ballots raised by Democrats.

Sounds like some deal making may have occurred here.  It you add the 21 votes to Mrs. Lazzari's total of 133, she polled 154, more than both of the endorsed Democrats.  The 21 rejected ballots were all in support of the Republican candidates which is why Quail had objected.  And why would the Republicans choose not to challenge?  They won the election.  The will of the people, to support the Republicans, was not fully served.

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Pascarella said the party’s executive committee interviewed Godlewski, Jasenski and Santabarbara. It did not interview Lazzari because she was not a candidate to state Supreme Court, Buchanan said.

So, Mr. Godlewski IS a candidate to staete Supreme Court, along with Mr. Jasenski and Mr. Santabarbara?  I didn't know any of these people were even lawyers!

Z - I agree. However, even though the 21 ballots were not allowed to be counted, Ms.Lazzari has a great chance of winning the November election. Actually, with the momentum that is going, I believe that Santabarbara AND Lazzari will win their seats. Godlewski, who was endorsed by the conservs, which still baffles me, would be a definate negative to the county legislature. He is beyond conservative. He is not proactive and will not spend a dime to save his grandmother. And our district would get even less than it does now. Mr. Godlewski is a stumbling block in Rotterdam. A vote for Godlewski would be like shooting yourself in the foot.

As far as Buchanan...I am speechless!!! Why he didn't challenge those ballots is beyond me. The reps are racing to the front with no credit to Mr. Buchanan. He actually appears to be trying to sabatoge his own party.

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However, even though the 21 ballots were not allowed to be counted, Ms.Lazzari has a great chance of winning the November election. Actually, with the momentum that is going, I believe that Santabarbara AND Lazzari will win their seats.

Bumble,

I heartily agree with your assessment.  Mrs Lazzari and Mr. Santabarbara both have an excellent chance to be elected in November.  However, it will only be with the help of those like yourself who are informed and can inform others who are not as vigilent about hearing the words and observing the actions of their elected representatives.  I encourage all on this board to contact the Lazzari and Santabarbara campaigns and lend a hand  BigK and I have already offered our support.  The coffee club remains alive and well, though we won't meet at the Muddy Cup.  

During the campaign, look for Kosiur to be the attack dog.  Word on the street is that, because he passed up the opportunity to run for reelection to the County Legislature with the assumption that he would win the NYS Assembly seat, that he will not be affected by his behavior (e.g., the lack of statesmanship displayed at the Tuesday public hearing).  There is also talk going around that Kosiur will be appointed to fill the seat of Gary Hughes who is running for reelection in District II and who is expected to vacate his seat (if he wins reelection) due to family issues.  This possibility should be "advertised" to District II voters.  That brings to mind a question ... has Mr. Kosiur been ELECTED to any office that he has held?

Mr. Kosiur can attack the legitimate candidates all that he wants.  He is seemingly bitter about his recent defeat.  His calculated efforts to work against Lazzari and Santabarbara will backfire on him and his party just as his sex offender legislation did.  Kosiur is not well liked or respected by the voters in District IV.  The Republican endorsed candidates have the right platform and positions on the issues.

It is important that both Lazzari and Santabarbara are elected if we are to tilt the balance between Democrats and Republicans on the County Legislature.  A victory by only one will not affect the overwhelming majority presently enjoyed by the Democrats.  Without Republican plurality, the residents of Schenectady County will not experience tax relief, job growth, and crime reduction.

Zim, Carolina Lazzari and Santabarbara are both going to win in the upcoming election and this is going to be the beginning of replacing all the Dems in control of the County Council who keep ignoring the wishes of the residents. This board is being read by a lot of people who don't post but are still getting valid information on the issues discussed here.

I think that they will win the election too. And I don't think that Mr. Kosiur's bad behavior will be approved by most people. If Mr. Kosiur does have bad behavior in this election, I think that it will hurt him and his political party.

Quoted from Shadow

Zim, Carolina Lazzari and Santabarbara are both going to win in the upcoming election and this is going to be the beginning of replacing all the Dems in control of the County Council who keep ignoring the wishes of the residents. This board is being read by a lot of people who don't post but are still getting valid information on the issues discussed here.

I agree with you Shadow, but it doesn't end there, we need to make sure the Republicans are also "kept in line" with the will of their constituents.  They are being touted as the saviours for our county and while I agree, if left to run amuck any party can do what the dems are doing now.

Quoted from 9

I think that they will win the election too. And I don't think that Mr. Kosiur's bad behavior will be approved by most people. If Mr. Kosiur does have bad behavior in this election, I think that it will hurt him and his political party.

The more he campaigns against Carolina and Angelo the better off they will be.  People are smart enough to read through that kind of nonsense.  Nothing more than sour grapes for having lost the July election. It's too bad he still doesn't realize he has absolutely no one to blame but himself.  His popularity is less than zero out in the west end of the county.