Delhi News Bureau

There is an election race afoot in Delaware County, but right now the elected position is not the goal. The prizes at stake are two additional lines on the November ballot.

On Tuesday, primary elections will be held in Delaware County for both the Conservative and Independence parties to determine which of the two candidates for county judge will appear on the ballot for those parties in the Nov. 5 election.

Delaware County Judge Robert Estes, 57, of Delhi — the Democratic incumbent — has three ballot lines: the Democratic, Working Families and the independent People's Judge Party. Now he also wants the Conservative and Independence lines.

Republican candidate Carl "Fritz" Becker, 54, of Stamford has the Republican line and has been endorsed by both the Delaware County and the New York State Conservative Party, but he has to earn the line on the ballot by winning the primary. He is seeking the Independence Party line as well.

Although there are only 775 county residents enrolled as Independent Party members and 476 enrolled as Conservative Party members, those party lines could be deciding factors in the judge race in November.

"With the Democrats being the minority party — outnumbered almost 2-1 by the Republicans — I like to have as many options as possible for my broad-based support, " Estes said.

Estes said 843 signatures were on his Independent petition, under the People's Judge party to gain that ballot line.

Becker said he is seeking support from voters who agree with his platform and that he isn't concerned about the number of lines on the ballot.

"I went for the lines that I felt were the most in line with my personal philosophy and beliefs. I think I represent the Conservative and Independence lines best," Becker said. "Basically, I am a conservative. I am a registered Republican who agrees with the conservative side of the party. The Independent Party is dedicated to refreshing government and reducing the power of the incumbency. It's not a party that likes the status quo. They like to encourage people who are not in government to become involved."

The Conservative Party and the Independent Party are not organized in Delaware County, but John Bjorkander of Andes serves as chairman of the Delaware County Conservatives.

Bjorkander said the Conservatives are not legally organized because there are not enough active members to do the work required, but the party does make endorsements through the state party.

"We endorsed Carl Becker," Bjorkander said. "Estes didn't ask for our endorsement; he just circulated petitions. If Estes wins the primary, he will still not be our choice, and we will not endorse him."

Bjorkander said it only takes signatures from 20 percent of the registered members of a party for a candidate to qualify for a position on the ballot.

"It only took 24 signatures to get on the ballot, but our members are so spread out in the county, it's hard to gather signatures," Bjorkander said.

There is no local Independent Party chairman. Frank MacKay of Lindenhurst, state Independent Party chairman, was not available for comment and did not return a phone call.

Andrea Campbell, Delhi Republican Party chairman, said gathering votes on the Independent petition is difficult because many people registered as party members thought they were independent, and didn't realize they were registered with the Independent Party.

Having more than one party line has proven pivotal to Estes in the last two elections, when having his name on the Conservative line garnered enough votes to win election and then re-election.

In 1982, Estes did the seemingly impossible when he rolled up a 773-vote margin over incumbent Republican Judge Richard H. Farley. It was the first time in 50 years a Democrat had been elected to Delaware County office.

Estes beat Farley 8,532-7,759, running on both the Democratic and Conservative lines. At the time, there were only 5,600 Democrats and 293 Conservatives enrolled in Delaware County, but 7,781 voted for Estes on the Democratic line and 891 on the Conservative line. Assuming that every Democrat and Conservative in the county turned out to vote and choose Estes, then about 2,600 Republicans — at the very least — also voted for him. Farley had only the Republican line. Seven-hundred twenty-two of the 17,269 voters who came to the polls that day, didn't pull a lever in the judge race.

In 1992, Republican Malcolm Hughes challenged Estes, first in September in the Conservative primary and then in November in the general election. It was the first time Delaware County had ever had a Conservative primary.

The 1992 Conservative primary came about because the county Conservative Party chose not to endorse either candidate, so both circulated petitions and forced a primary.

Estes won the 1992 Conservative primary with 93 votes, compared to Hughes' 36-vote total. Only 42 percent of the 304 registered Conservatives voted, but that coveted Conservative line accounted for 3,142 votes in the general election.

Estes defeated Hughes by a vote of 11,352 to 7,631. In 1992, there were 5,740 registered Democrats in the county, 12,320 Republicans and another 2,200 voters not registered with any party. Once again, a large number of the 20,780 people who went to the polls had no opinion in the judge race, with 1,815 voters failing to cast a vote in that race.

The Delaware County voter rolls show 13,841 registered Republicans; 7,108 Democrats; and 4,452 voters not enrolled in a party — in addition to the Conservatives, Independents and other minority parties.

Arnold Weiss, public relations spokesman for Becker's campaign committee said anyone interested can go to www.carlbecker.com for e-mail access and information about campaign issues. Estes said he has not established an election website.

The 10-year judge position pays $119,800 annually.

———

Patricia Breakey can be reached at (607) 746-2894 or at pbreakey@thedailystar.com.