Town Candidates Vie for Independence Party, Conservative Party Lines

Candidates from Bedford's local Republican and Democratic slates are vying Tuesday in primaries to add the Independence Party and Conservative Party lines for the November general election, according to Town Clerk Boo Fumagalli, who is also among those running. This is because in New York State, candidates can run for offices with multiple party lines on a single ballot.

While the Democratic ticket received the endorsement of the Independence Party, several Republican opponents submitted petitions to force primaries. The Republican ticket received the Conservative Party's backing, but Democrats want to contest that support. In both cases, this was done through the Opportunity to Ballot process, which means that the candidates with endorsements will have their names printed on the ballot while challengers will not and must get write-in votes. 

The Independence Party primaries include the supervisor's race, where Democrat Chris Burdick will face off against Republican Don Scott, and the town clerk's race with Fumagalli, a Republican, versus Democrat Simone Shapiro. The town justice race goes through a different mechanism, however. There are no Independence Party primaries for council seats, a scenario that was thwarted by a successful petition challenge from Democratic candidate Meredith Black against Republican candidate Mary Beth Kass.

One exception to the primary challenge system is with a town justice race due to a different state election regulation. Democrat Judy Ayelott received the Independence endorsement but Republican Erik Jacobsen, unlike Scott and Fumagalli, will not need write-in votes because his name will be printed. 

Meanwhile, County Legislator Peter Harckham, a North Salem Democrat who received the Independence endorsement, will need to defeat a Opportunity to Ballot challenge from Andrea Rendo, a Lewisboro Republican who will need write-in votes.

The situation is reversed for the Conservative Party primaries. The full slate of Republican town candidates - they are Scott, Kass, Fumagalli and incumbent Councilman Francis Corcoran - will have their names printed. Their respective challengers - they are Burdick, Black, Shapiro and Julie Hallowell Vulpescu - will need write-in votes. Jacobsen and Aydelott are also facing either other but will each have their names printed. Harckham and Rendo are not having a Conservative Party primary.

The primaries are only for members of the Independence Party or Conservative Party. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Polling places are listed below:

Districts 1, 10, 11 and 17: Bedford Presbyterian Church (in fellowship hall), 48 Village Green, Bedford

Districts 2 and 13: Rippowam Cisqua School (in library), 439 Cantitoe Street, Bedford

Districts 3 and 16: Katonah Memorial House (in main room), 71 Bedford Road, Katonah

Districts 4 and 5: Bedford Hills Community House (in main room), 74 Main Street, Bedford Hills

Districts 6 and 15: Katonah Village Library (in meeting room), 26 Bedford Road, Katonah

District 7: First Presbyterian Church of Katonah (in fellowship hall), 31 Bedford Road, Katonah

District 8: Katonah Elementary School (in Art Room B), 106 Huntville Road, Katonah

Districts 9, 14 and 18: Bedford Town House (in court room), 321 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills

District 12: Cisqua School (in atrium), 325 West Patent Road, Mount Kisco postal address