On August 23rd, voters elected Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan as our new representative in Congress, to fill the vacancy left by now Lt. Governor, Antonio Delgado. We are thrilled with the outcome of this election, and look forward to Congressman Ryan representing us faithfully and energetically in Washington.

Thank you for SHOWING UP! From the August 23rd Election, to the June Primary, to last year’s General Election when we won a supermajority for the first time in our county legislature, Democratic turnout in Ulster County has been among the highest in the state. And with our fundamental rights and freedoms now on the line, your votes could not be more important.

We now need to choose the Democratic nominee to run for County Executive, to serve out the remainder of Pat Ryan’s term until the end of 2023. Normally, nominees for a countywide election are decided in a primary, which is the best—and most democratic—way to pick our candidate. The good news is that we have at least three well-qualified Democratic candidates seeking the nomination. The bad news is that we cannot choose the nominee via primary because of rules set by the Ulster County Charter and NY State Election Law (more on that below). Instead, members of the Ulster County Democratic Committee (UCDC) will vote to choose the Democratic nominee at a nominating convention to be held on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

Why can't we choose the Democratic nominee in a primary election?

• The Ulster County Charter dictates a strict time window in which a County Executive vacancy must be filled, and next year’s June Primary is too late to meet the charter requirements.

• NYS Election Law provides a 10-day window for political parties to select their nominees to fill a vacancy in situations other than a primary election, and it specifies that state party rules must govern that selection process. The state parties place this responsibility in the hands of the county committees, to move quickly and meet the 10-day deadline.

What is the Ulster County Democratic Committee and who are its members?

• The UCDC is the grassroots, ground-floor organizing body of the Democratic Party in our area. We help get out the vote, recruit and support candidates, and connect to the state and national committees. UCDC members in each municipality form the County Committee and its town/city subcommittees, and we all work together to help elect people of integrity who share our values.

• There are 328 seats on the UCDC—two per Election District (ED) in each municipality—and the members who fill these seats are your elected representatives in the Democratic Party.  Every two years, members gather petition signatures to serve in these positions and represent Registered Democrats in their district. If more than two people petition to represent the same ED, their names go on the ballot in the June Primary and Democratic voters get to choose.

• The 2022-24 term of the UCDC has just begun. I encourage you to explore this website, which includes a membership list and contact form, a list of party leaders with links to contact them, and many more details about the the UCDC’s activities. 

How will voting at the nominating convention be conducted?

• Candidates for County Executive will be nominated by UCDC members, then members will cast their votes by secret ballot using “weighted voting” (as required by Election Law), and using ranked choice voting, in accordance with UCDC party rules. So far, three candidates have announced: March Gallagher, Jen Metzger and Marc Rider. (Read more about UCDC voting procedures here.)

Who can attend the nominating convention?

• The convention will be open to UCDC members and members of the press. If there is enough room, members of the public who wish to observe may also be admitted— that decision will be made on site.

I hope this information provides a little more clarity and transparency to this complicated and consequential nominating process. Ulster County will soon be convening a Charter Revision Commission, as is required every 10 years or so, to review and make recommendations to the County Executive and Legislature on amendments, additions or revisions to the Ulster County Charter. It is my hope that the Commission will change the County Executive vacancy timing requirement to allow all voters in Ulster County the chance to participate fully in their party’s selection of a nominee for this countywide office. A healthy democracy, and a healthy society, is one where everyone has the opportunity to make their voice heard.

In Solidarity,

Kelleigh McKenzie
Chair, Ulster County Democratic Committee