A primary will allow Guilderland’s Democratic committee to “harness the energy of more and more Democrats,” committee Chairman Jacob Crawford said Monday night in explaining to the committee why he would be voting to change from a caucus system to a primary. 

Subcommittee member Daniel Centi said he thinks that the recent nomination of town-board candidate Laurel Bohl at the April 2019 caucus highlighted a flaw in the caucus system: that anyone can be nominated and become a candidate, without prior vetting by the Guilderland Democratic Committee. He wants to look into whether the party can legally find a way to require that anyone planning to enter the race at a caucus must be vetted in advance. 

The subcommittee has given its recommendation to the chairman, but the executive committee doesn’t have to follow it. 

Four candidates were nominated at Berne’s Democratic caucus for town board. Frank Brady and Brian Bunzey bested Tim Lippert and Mathew Harris, who is running on the GOP ticket and is not enrolled in any party.

Guilderland’s Democratic committee is looking into whether to change from a caucus to a primary system, but has not yet made a decision.

The Knox Democratic Committee has nominated Russ Pokorny for supervisor, incumbents Earl Barcomb and Dennis Barber for town board, and Joan Adriance for town clerk. Supervisor Vasilios Lefkaditis has said he will run for a third term.

A primary typically draws more voters than a caucus. It’s more inclusive, better run, and therefore more representative of the people voting.

The Knox Democratic caucus was tense as those nominated mostly by members of the party’s committee were pitted against a slate of nominees already on the Republican ballot. Republicans had earlier nominated a slate of candidates enrolled in various parties.

Town Supervisor Peter Barber will be challenged this fall by Republican Brian Forte, whom he beat narrowly in 2015.

Both Republicans and Democrats nominated a full slate of candidates, including for town supervisor, highway superintendent, and two seats on the town board.