HILLTOWNS — Rensselaerville Democrat Hébert Joseph says that his campaign for Albany County 39th District Legislator is back in full swing after a court challenge from incumbent Chris Smith, a Conservative with Republican backing, denied Joseph a major-party endorsement. 

Joseph told The Enterprise this week that, in addition to appearing on the Working Families Party line, he’ll appear as an independent candidate under a party of his own making, Hilltowns First. 

Joseph, who chairs Rensselaerville’s Democratic Committee, had originally planned to run as a Democrat, submitting a petition with 280 signatures. However, a New York State Supreme Court justice ruled, because of various errors with the sheets contained within the petition, only 24 signatures could be considered valid. 

Joseph said this week that his independent petition, which went unchallenged, had about as many signatures as his original Democratic petition. Albany County Democratic Election Commissioner Kathleen Donovan said last month that 208 signatures would be required. 

“I knocked on doors and everyone had good feedback …,” Joseph said this week. “I have a lot of backing from both sides of the aisle. I think [my candidacy] energized the residents of the Hilltowns because they know they deserve better.”

When asked if he thinks not having the Democratic line will hurt him, Joseph said, “Absolutely not. Absolutely not.”

Joseph, a 55-year-old Haitian immigrant who served for seven years in the United States Army and now works as a senior engineer for the New York State Department of Public Service/Public Service Commission, most often criticizes Smith for his “low profile” as county legislator, a post he took up 2015 when he ousted Republican Deborah Busch.

Smith, who spent three years in the military after graduating from Berne-Knox-Westerlo, owns the popular Berne restaurant Maple on the Lake and ran in previous elections on the Democratic line, says he’s highly engaged with the community. 

“I would assume I see 300 people a day in my restaurant alone,” Smith said. “I don’t see [Joseph]. So, as far as my ‘low profile,’ I’m very in the public. I see my constituents every day.” 

The 39th District, which was recently redrawn, encompasses Berne, Westerlo, and Rensselaerville, and a small part of New Scotland.