NEW SCOTLAND — Independence voters on Sept. 13 will be able to cast their ballot for the incumbent town justice, Thomas Dolin, a Democrat, or his challenger, Susan Aron-DeFronzo, a Republican.

Paul Caputo, the chair of the county’s Independence Party, said that his party has endorsed a full slate for New Scotland. The Independence Party has endorsed Elizabeth Stewart for town supervisor, and Margaret Neri and Wayne LaChappelle for council seats — all Democrats.

Independence voters won’t see these three names on the primary ballot, however, because they are already locked into the Independence line.

The county’s Independence Party picks have not been challenged by petitions for the opportunity to ballot.

Supervisor Ed Clark and Councilwoman Andrea Gleason, who are not enrolled as Republicans but have both run successfully on the GOP line, said that they did not pursue an opportunity to ballot, because the Independence Party is overrun with Democrats.
If a candidate is not a member of the Independence Party then he or she "needs permission to run on our line," Caputo said. "The exception to this is town justices."

Candidates for judge don’t need the party’s permission. They can collect signatures on what is called a nominated petition, Caputo said.

Caputo said that his party endorsed Dolin for justice, but Aron-DeFronzo forced a primary in the judge’s race by collecting signatures from 5 percent of New Scotland’s enrolled Independence Party members.

Both their names will be on the ballot, for voters to choose between, with a lever.

All the candidates who ask for Independence Party support are interviewed, Caputo said.
The county Independence committee was fully impressed with Dolin, he said. Dolin has had the party’s endorsement in the past and has "really proven to be a reasonable judge," Caputo said.

Aron-DeFronzo told The Enterprise that she was too late in requesting Conservative Party support, so she is running a write-in campaign to win over the Conservative voters support.
As judges, Dolin said, "We don’t take positions on most local issues." Judges are not supposed to express any opinions on political maters, he said. So, in terms of a judge representing a political party in an election it doesn’t really work out or mean the same things as the other elected posts, he said.
"They don’t ask us to endorse their party," Dolin said. "We don’t take positions on water rates," he said, giving an example.When asked, then, what it means for a judge to be on the ballot under the Democratic, Independence and Conservative lines at the same time, Dolin responded, since Democratic and Republican enrollment is fairly equal in New Scotland, "It’s generally recognized the minor party lines are crucial for who wins."