MAYVILLE - Conservative and Independence party races are set for next month's primary elections.
The Sept. 13 election will determine party nominations for County Judge, state Assembly and highway superintendent for the town of Charlotte.
New York is one of nine states to allow electoral fusion voting. The practice allows candidates to run on multiple party lines, with all votes pooled for that candidate.
"It's how they do it," said Norm Green, Democratic election commissioner, of fusion voting. "The state allows candidates to seek multiple lines, and then they total all the votes together."
He added, "It does cause a lot of confusion."
States that allow fusion voting include: Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and New Hampshire, when a write-in candidate wins a primary.
Legislator Bill Coughlin, D-Fredonia, is challenging incumbent County Court Judge John Ward, R-Ashville, for the Conservative and Independence party nomination.
State Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Chautauqua County, will face former legislator Rudy Mueller, D-Lakewood, for the Independence party nomination.
In the town of Charlotte, Republicans will vote to fill its vacant highway superintendent position. Mark LeBaron is running against Michael Livermore. The winner in the primary will face a Democratic nominee to be named; a Democratic Party caucus has not yet been scheduled.
There will also be 19 Conservative Party primaries to choose election district level county committee representation. There are to be only two committee members from each of the county's 124 election districts.
The Board of Elections will be opening one poll site for every town and city for the Sept. 13 primaries. The consolidated list is available at votechautauqua.com and will be published in The Post-Journal and the OBSERVER the week of the election.
For more information, call the Board of Elections at 753-4580.