RENSSELAERVILLE — Despite being a big election year in Rensselaerville, with five seats open, voters will be weighing in on only one contest, for a town board seat. 

On the Republican line will be incumbent Peter Sommerville, who has a construction background and was first elected in an uncontested race in 2021.

 He is challenged on the Democratic line by Patricia E. Byrnes, who ran unsuccessfully for town board in 2023 against current town board member Randy Bates. She is a former sociology professor and has additional experience working with women-oriented not-for-profits. 

The remaining candidates are cross-endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Conservative Party. 

They are: 

— Incumbent John Dolce, for supervisor, first elected to that position in 2019 after serving two years as a councilman and one year as acting supervisor; 

— Newcomer Marymichael D’Ark, co-owner of Be Golden Farm, for town board;

— Incumbent Victoria Kraker, for town clerk, first elected to that position in 2013 after stints as a town justice and court clerk; and

— Incumbent Jason Rauf, for highway superintendent, first elected to that position in 2021 after serving four years as a councilman.

Rensselaerville has seen mostly drama-free elections for the past several years; except for the contest between Byrnes and Bates in 2023, there hasn’t been a contest in the town since 2017. 

Major issues currently facing the town are the overhaul of the town water system, which is being handled mostly by the volunteer Water and Sewer Advisory Committee but relies on town board support, and the administration of the Kuhar Endowment Fund.