The Cornwall Democrat
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It is now confirmed that NYS Democratic presidential primary will take place on June 23rd. The United States 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court ruling that the June 23rd Democratic primary could not be cancelled by the Board of Elections. The NYS BOE will not appeal the 2nd Circuit decision.
Please consider voting via absentee ballot. Although polling sites will be open on Primary Elections Day and during the new early voting periods, every voter is entitled to vote absentee based on the threat of exposure to the coronavirus.
The Orange County Board of Elections is sending every eligible Democratic Party voter an absentee ballot application, with an accompanying return postage paid envelop. Please fill out that application and send that document back to the Orange County Board of Elections to receive your ballot for the primary.
When applying to vote by absentee, check the box for “Temporary illness or physical disability” with no requirement for in-person signature or appearance to be able to access an absentee ballot.
Absentee Applications are DUE TUESDAY June 16th. This means the application must be postmarked or dropped off at the Board of Elections in Goshen by hand by- and on- TUESDAY JUNE 16th.
Delivery of absentee ballots to voters still remains the same—via mail or in person. There is no change in the return methods: mail or in person.
COVID-19 has changed a lot of our normal behaviors, and mask-wearing is no exception. In his daily address on Tuesday, Governor Cuomo summed up the meaning behind mask-wearing for New Yorkers. Remember: when you wear a mask you’re protecting others from infection; and when others wear a mask, they’re protecting you.
If your family or business has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, the following grants and other resources may be of use. As many of these grants and financial resources are changing rapidly, Senator Skoufis’ Grants Specialist will update this document weekly with the most accurate and timely information. Please continue to check back for any changes or additions.
https://files.constantcontact.com/fb588e1b201/aeffccc3-0030-47b0-b089-19aecc6f324c.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1w15sj-4cQJM88kF6LKehlzQHzAIIGroKWZ8Ai_g_kTcfSHjHQfgHjvco
Some of the Cornwall Young Democrats are involved in a project that is providing virtual tutoring to students K-12 in Duchess and Orange county while school is closed. Duchess-Orange Tutoring, or DOT, was started by Jess Wu and has been running for roughly a month now. More information can be found here, https://dotutoring.wixsite.com/dotutoring.
Today, the DOT administrative team got to speak to Congressman Antonio Delgado; this weekend they will be included in his local hero's spotlight.
If you know a K-12 student in need of tutoring, or a college or high school aged student who would like to become a tutor, please visit the site where you can sign up via google form. The team wants to reach as many kids as possible, so please help them get out the word!
In the wake of the recent Presidential primaries, Gen Z democrats have expressed “dissatisfaction,” “concern,” “worry,” and, most overwhelmingly, a lack of confidence in the apparent frontrunner of the Democratic party. Notably, however, they have not been turning out in electoral support of the progressive candidate, either, which begs the question: what will get young people to the polls, if it’s not electability, and it’s not idealism?
This feeling of confusion has been permeating the political atmosphere, especially since the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), recently declared pandemic by the WHO. It remains too early to tell if coronavirus will ultimately eclipse the election season entirely or whether, at this crucial turning point, it will unify the party into a decisive faction by November.
It’s Finally here. The Main Event. We’ve been hearing this so frequently over the last 40 months that it’s almost cliché to call the 2020 Presidential Election the “most important election of our lifetimes.” And yet it is.
But while we cannot take anything for granted we can feel confident that that New York’s 29 electoral votes will go to the eventual Democratic Nominee – whoever he may be. However that same level of confidence does not extend to the local down-ticket races and the gains made at the state and local level could be in jeopardy.
But fear not, because the Cornwall Democratic Committee and the Orange County Democratic Party have endorsed a slate of candidates that provide outstanding alternatives to the cynical Republican opperatives seeking your trust.
On the ballot just below President and Vice President we will find the 18th Congressional District candidates. Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney is seeking reelection. Those of us that watched the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment hearings will never forget Congressman Maloney’s direct question to Ambassador Gordon Sondland:
Congressman Maloney: Was there a quid pro quo?
Ambassador Sondland: Yes.
Following Congressman Maloney on the ballot is Cornwall’s long-time friend and new resident, Senator James Skoufis. Reflecting on the year’s accomplishments, Senator Skoufis recently told The Cornwall Democrat, “I'm proud to have led theeffort in Albany to: protect sexual abuse survivors by passing the Child Victims Act; eliminate vaccine loopholes; make the property tax cap permanent; unmask shady LLC property owners; hold the Kiryas Joel-owned well in Cornwall accountable; and secure more money than has ever come back to our Senate District for our schools and roads.”
In addition the Senator is well known for his tireless work in-district on behalf of local residents. For all of his hard work Senator Skoufis has a target on his back. State republicans have made a priority out of regaining the senate and our senator heads their hit list.
On the Assembly side Sarita Bhandarkar is running for the 99th Assembly District seat formerly held by James Skoufis. Since the 99th fell into Republican hands two years ago the district has seen nothing but grandstanding from its assemblyman. Ms. Bhandarkar will work with Senator Skoufis to ensure that local needs are met in Albany.
There are the judicial candidates too. Running for Orange County Court Judge is Judge Paul Trachte from the City of Newburgh where he established a “drug court” as well as a policy towards offenders with underlying mental health conditions that provides for treatment over incarceration when appropriate. For Family Court Judge the convention nominated Maria Patrizio who has this to say about her candidacy: “I’m running for Family Court judge because families need a good, caring judge to be there during their most difficult times. I have spent 20 years serving the people of Orange County as a Family Court attorney, prioritizing excellence and compassion. As a judge, I will work to make an already difficult process easier on struggling families.” Ms. Patrizio Literally wrote the book on Family Court, Successfully Navigating Family Court in New York.
In this year’s only race involving the Town of Cornwall Cornwall exclusively, Lynn Beesecker is seeking another term as Town Justice where he continues to deliver fair and steady justice that the residents of Cornwall have grown accuustomed to and deserve.
Donald Trump was impeached this evening by the House for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress. A roundup:
Times Herald-Record: President Trump impeached on ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’
USA Today: House impeaches President Trump in historic vote after fiery debate
CNN: Trump Impeached
Chicago Tribune: Donald Trump impeached: America’s 45th president becomes 3rd to be impeached by the House of Representatives
NBC News: Trump Impeached by House in Historic Vote
New York Times: Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress
CORNWALL, NOVEMBER 5 — Democrats won a majority on the Cornwall Town Board in Tuesday’s election, as Virginia Scott and Josh Wojehowski won two of three Council seats, while Democratic Town Supervisor Richard Randazzo coasted to victory officially unopposed. Next January, Cornwall’s Town Board will have three Democrats and two Republicans seated.
Ms. Scott won a two-year term, filling a vacancy resulting from a resignation. Mr. Wojehowski captured one of two full four-year terms. Both will be first-time office-holders. Supervisor Randazzo will enter his 13th term in the office he first won in 1982.
Each of the Democrats also ran on the Protect Cornwall line. Turnout was higher than in previous years for elections focused primarily on Town offices.
“We had amazing support for our slate of candidates this year,” said Jon Chase, Democratic Committee Chair. “They all worked tirelessly to meet and engage our residents on Town issues, and there’s no doubt they will continue that hard work as they assume their duties on behalf of all of Cornwall’s residents.”
From a party perspective, Cornwall Democrats made history this year by fielding six candidates and winning three seats in a single election. The local victories come amid a surge in Democratic party enrollment and activism. In fact, as of October 2019, Democratic party enrollment in Cornwall surpassed Republican enrollment for the first time in history.
That shift echoes trends in suburbs and exurbs throughout the country, fueled in part by voters departing the national Republican Party as it increasingly aligns with a historically unpopular president and defies public sentiment on issues like women’s rights, gun control, climate change, LGBTQ rights, race and religious rights, and immigration. Democratic growth is also driven by young first-time registrants, who overwhelmingly identify with Democratic party priorities.
Locally, the Cornwall Democratic Committee has worked hard to capture that interest over the past two years, with community service, outreach, fundraising, and other activities that are new or reinvigorated. This year, candidates and volunteers knocked on thousands of doors and ran a robust campaign of advertising, phone banking, postcard nights, mailings, word of mouth, public events, and other activities.
At the same time, the Orange County Republican Committee may have hurt their local candidates’ chances with last-minute robocalls claiming Democrats were “pro-criminal” and casting baseless anti-Semitic accusations that “Kiryas Joel” was plotting to “steal the election” for Democrats.
The new Town Board will be seated in January, although the vacant seat won by Ms. Scott can be filled immediately by a vote of the current Town Board in its monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 12.
Our local Republican committee often posts anti-Democratic memes on their social media pages; perhaps it makes them feel powerful(?).
But memes are no substitute for vision, experience, plans and proposals for governing. We’ve got to protect Cornwall, to preserve the things we all—Democrat, Republican, and everyone else—love about it, while fixing problems before they arise. That’s our focus.
So on Tuesday, we hope you’ll join us and elect new energy for a strong town: vote the Democratic / Protect Cornwall ticket.
From Spectrum News:
New York Keeps Getting Bluer As Republican Enrollment Continues To Slide
Last two days of Early Voting are upon us, Saturday and Sunday. And then of course you can vote on Election Day at your usual location. Let’s bring this home!
Today’s the day: For the first time shift workers, commuters, retail workers, small business owners—YOU—can VOTE EARLY on YOUR SCHEDULE in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
Today is the first day of Early Voting. Have you voted yet?
A bunch of your neighbors already came out and cast their ballots for our Cornwall Democratic slate, in perfect weather (see photo). The electronic poll books work great. There was a line this morning at 10, but it died down after the first rush.
Full Early Voting schedule is here—but why wait? Grab a friend and vote NOW!
Let’s elect new energy for a strong town. Learn about your Cornwall candidates.
Cornwall voters have an historic opportunity this fall that they haven’t had in generations: to elect six Democrats to Town offices. It wouldn’t simply be another example of the Blue Wave we began to see last year. It would amount to a seismic shift in Town of Cornwall governance.
For generations Cornwall has been ruled by one party, and that's simply unhealthy at any level of government. Happily, it's not the case in Cornwall anymore! As of the most recent update by the Board of Elections voter registrations in Cornwall are 2,931 Democrats to 2,979 Republicans – a difference of only 48 voters and a statistical tie at 32%.
Another matter for history is that this year will mark the first election in New York under the new early voting laws. For the first time local voters can vote up to nine days before Election Day proper.
