Heavy Early Voting Turnout
by Doug La Rocque
Early voting in Rensselaer County began on Saturday, October 24 at three sites, the Brunswick Town Hall, the Schodack Town Hall and the Holy Cross Armenian Church on Spring Avenue in Troy. According to the county’s Board of Election, the number of people who had taken advantage of this option, had reached 7,434 by Tuesday afternoon. Early voting continues through Sunday, November 1. There is no early voting the day before the election.
Early voting works the same as on site voting on election day, check in, pick up and mark a ballot and slide it into the voting machine. As the deadline to request an absentee ballot has passed, early voting is the only remaining way to vote ahead of November 3.
In Rensselaer County, there are four races of concern. Of course, the Presidential race between incumbent Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. They run on the same ballot with their Vice Presidential candidates, incumbent Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris.
Most of Rensselaer County (except the City of Troy, East and North Greenbush, the City of Rensselaer and a portion of Schodack) is in the 19th Congressional and is currently represented by Antonio Delgado. The other communities are represented by Paul Tonko. The incumbent Democrat Delgado is facing Republican Kyle Van De Water.
Incumbent 43rd District State Senator Daphne Jordan is being opposed by Democratic candidate Patrick Nelson, while 107th Assemblyman Jake Ashby is being challenged by Democrat Brittany Vogel.
The Eastwick Press has obtained candidate profiles from these candidates, which appear on page 5.