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City follows Copake in denouncing challenges
By Jamie Larson
In a nearly unanimous vote Tuesday, the Hudson Common Council followed the lead of the town of Copake and passed a symbolic resolution denouncing the Columbia County Republican Party’s court challenge of 66 absentee ballots cast in the town of Taghkanic by second homeowners.
Republican attorneys have argued that the ballots should be thrown out because the votes were not cast from the individual’s primary residence, many of which are located in or around New York City.
The resolution passed by the council had nearly identical wording to the one unanimously passed by the Copake Town Board Saturday, which has a Republican majority.
The resolution was also presented to the Claverack Town Board Monday night by county Democratic committee member Cyndy Hall. That board, which also has a Republican majority, made no decision on the issue. They said they would make no determination until the resolution was scrutinized by the town attorney.
With an 8 to 1 vote, the Hudson Common Council resolved that it: “supports the right of second home owners to choose to vote in the county where they maintain a residence” and “oppose(s) the attempt to disqualify voters on the basis that their second home in Columbia County, where they have established ties, is not their ‘proper’ residence.”
Surrounded by a round of emphatic “yes” votes to the resolution, the only “no” vote was cast with an equally resonant volume from the council’s sole Republican, and minority leader, Richard Goetz, Fifth Ward. Goetz said he was not contacted by his party beforehand about how to vote if the resolution came up Tuesday.
“(The resolution) doesn’t mean anything,” Goetz added. “It has to go through the courts, that’s why they’re there.”
Republican attorneys have argued that the ballots should be thrown out because the votes were not cast from the individual’s primary residence, many of which are located in or around New York City.
The resolution passed by the council had nearly identical wording to the one unanimously passed by the Copake Town Board Saturday, which has a Republican majority.
The resolution was also presented to the Claverack Town Board Monday night by county Democratic committee member Cyndy Hall. That board, which also has a Republican majority, made no decision on the issue. They said they would make no determination until the resolution was scrutinized by the town attorney.
With an 8 to 1 vote, the Hudson Common Council resolved that it: “supports the right of second home owners to choose to vote in the county where they maintain a residence” and “oppose(s) the attempt to disqualify voters on the basis that their second home in Columbia County, where they have established ties, is not their ‘proper’ residence.”
Surrounded by a round of emphatic “yes” votes to the resolution, the only “no” vote was cast with an equally resonant volume from the council’s sole Republican, and minority leader, Richard Goetz, Fifth Ward. Goetz said he was not contacted by his party beforehand about how to vote if the resolution came up Tuesday.
“(The resolution) doesn’t mean anything,” Goetz added. “It has to go through the courts, that’s why they’re there.”
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| Council takes action on a score of issues | In brief |
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of registerstar.com.
scorpian wrote on Dec 16, 2009 10:52 PM:
" I can't believe this Goetz guy... "nobody in my party told me how to vote."
Doesn't he have a mind of his own? Why are Republicans so mindless and unindividual? What if the Republicans told Goetz not to flush the toilet after he went to the bathroom? Then what would he do? "
Doesn't he have a mind of his own? Why are Republicans so mindless and unindividual? What if the Republicans told Goetz not to flush the toilet after he went to the bathroom? Then what would he do? "
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stonepound wrote on Dec 16, 2009 6:02 AM: