WESTERLO — Three town board seats are open in Westerlo this year, and both the Republican and Democratic parties in town are making a full sprint for them. 

Each seat is contested, including supervisor, in a break from the inter-party unity that was on display in 2021, when Republicans and Democrats endorsed the same slate of candidates, save for town justice. 

On the Democratic side this year, the party endorsed Democrat Bill Morin, a political newcomer who owns Morin’s Body Works, for supervisor; incumbent Conservative Peter Mahan for town board, who had GOP backing in his inaugural run; and Beau Loendorf, an event planner and the planning board chairman, for town board — his first run for local office. 

Republicans nominated the incumbent Republican supervisor, Matt Kryzak; incumbent Republican Amie Burnside for town board; and newcomer William Hall, a Republican who owns Fresh Starts Family Farm in Westerlo and sits on the planning board, for town board. 

Kryzak and Morin had each tried to secure the supervisor nomination for both parties, as did planning board member Angela Carkner, Republican Chairwoman Lisa DeGroff and Democratic Chairman Ned Stevens told The Enterprise this month. 

Mahan, who was elected to the town board on the Republican line in 2022 to fill a vacancy, had strived for Republican endorsement again this year but did not get it, DeGroff said. 

Mahan, along with Joshua Beers, who also was elected on the Republican line, has voiced opposition to certain initiatives by the GOP-dominated board, such as pay increases for the town clerk’s office and a law that allows the town to hire non-Westerlo residents for town attorney. 

For town clerk this year, both parties endorsed incumbent Karla Weaver, and for town highway superintendent, they both endorsed incumbent Jody Ostrander. 

Both parties also agreed on an endorsement of Joshua Ostrander, who is Jody Ostrander’s son, for town justice.

However, DeGroff said that Joshua Ostrander had been challenged by Stuart Elderd, who had been the Republican endorsee in 2021, but lost at the recent caucus by just two votes after five committee members had neglected to name their preferred candidate. 

“The entire committee was so busy working the caucus that five of us didn’t vote …,” said DeGroff. “We’re really kind of disappointed in that. We were so busy taking care of business that we forgot to take care of business.”

Joshua Ostrander and Stuart Elderd are facing off in a Conservative primary, which will be held on June 27, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.