To the Editor:

As co-chair of the Knox Democratic Committee, I'd like to address a concern that recently came to my attention. As most of the Altamont Enterprise readers already know, there will be a Democratic caucus for the town of Knox this Tuesday, July 25, at town hall at 7 p.m.

Unfortunately, Vasilios Lefkaditis, our current supervisor, is scheming to limit voters’ choices by attempting to push Republican-endorsed candidates through the Democratic caucus.

The caucus process was instituted so that qualified candidates could be given the opportunity to be fairly represented and have their names placed upon the election ballot. It is a clear, ethical, and established procedure.

It allows the voters, not one man, to decide who will be elected. Trying to backdoor the process and circumvent the spirit of its creation flies in the face of all that our great country was built upon — freedom of choice.

 I encourage all registered Democrats in the town of Knox to attend the Democratic caucus on July 25 and make their voices heard. The Democratic Committee is endorsing the following qualified candidates:

— Town Supervisor: Amy Pokorny;

— Town Councilmen: Dan Hanley and Brett Pulliam;

— Town Clerk: Tara Murphy;

— Town Justice: Jean Gagnon; and

— Tax Collector: Diane Champion.

I wish all candidates the best of luck and have every confidence that our residents will see the proper election process through and not allow it to be hijacked for Mr Lefkaditis’s agenda.

Eric Kuck

Knox Democratic Committee

Editor’s note: Vasilios Lefkaditis stated that he was not bringing in anyone to the Knox Democratic caucus.

“It’s an open caucus,” he said. “Anybody can run for anything.”

Lefkaditis said he had received the Republican nomination for town supervisor, and would be attending the Democratic caucus in hopes of receiving its nomination as well.

“Other people will be running, and I suspect they’ll be nominated, but that has nothing to do with me,” he added.