This
Year the Democrats of Woodstock had an opportunity to vote for a young,
intelligent and progressive Town Supervisor.
In the past the
Democratic candidates were selected by a handful of registered Democrats
(the insiders). In recent years due to the involvement of progressive
Democrats in challenging the insiders at the official caucus great strides
have been made in opening the process to all democrats.
Democratic candidate
David Lewis 27, had announced his intention to run for Town Supervisor.
Unfortunately,
due to swift-boating (see story) on the
part of his opponent's supporters David lost in the caucus by a close
margin.
This leaves the
voters of Woodstock without a choice for Supervisor as the Republicans
chose not to run a candidate for Town Supervisor. If you didn't vote
in the democratic caucus you don't get to choose. Of
course you could still write in a vote for David. There is a little
window at the top of the voting machine over the Supervisor line where
you can write in a name for Supervisor.
David Lewis grew up in the town
of Woodstock and graduated from Woodstock Elementary School and Onteora
Highschool. He studied at UCCC during his senior year and then transferred
to Cornell University where he completed a Bachelor's degree in Natural
Resources Management. David went on to serve in the Peace Corps, where
he spent two and a half years developing community projects, writing
grants, and educating the locals about environmentally sustainable alternatives
to traditional agriculture. After completing his term in the Peace Corps,
David returned to Woodstock and ran for Town Supervisor, nearly unseating
the incumbent. David spent the next two years earning a Masters Degree
from Columbia University, where he worked as a high school teacher in
an under financed inner city school.