Capital District:

Rensselaer County Legislature, 1st District (1 of 6 seats) - Russell Ziemba (D, WFP - Challenger)

Mr. Ziemba is a grocer and social activist with 15 years of advocacy around peace, social justice, the environment, historic preservation, and good government. He answered every question on our questionnaire correctly, adding, "I support full inclusion and equality for members of the LGBT community."

The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse Russell Ziemba's candidacy for Rensselaer County Legislature, 1st District.

Mr. Ziemba is running against six incumbents from the Republican/Independent/Conservative parties and four candidates from the Democrat/WFP parties. None of these candidates returned a questionnaire seeking the Pride Agenda’s endorsement.

Rensselaer County Legislature, 1st District (1 of 6 seats) - Peter D. Grimm (D, WFP - Challenger)

Mr. Grimm works for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and has been an arts, environmental, and historic preservation advocate in his community. He answered every question on our questionnaire correctly, though he added to the choice question, "I believe in 'choice' for a woman to govern her own body. I am strongly in favor of parental consent for minors."

The Empire State Pride Agenda is pleased to endorse Peter Grimm's candidacy for Rensselaer County Legislature, 1st District.

Mr. Grimm is running against six incumbents from the Republican/Independent/Conservative parties and four candidates from the Democrat/WFP parties. None of these candidates returned a questionnaire seeking the Pride Agenda’s endorsement.

Albany Common Council, 1st Ward - Dominick M. Calsolaro (D, WFP, I - Incumbent)

Mr. Calsolaro is an active and longtime supporter of the LGBT community, including co-sponsoring the Albany transgender civil rights ordinance. He answered every question on our questionnaire correctly, adding, "I feel all people should be free to live their own lives without restriction and that NO restrictions should be placed on anyone because of their sexual orientation. … Many members of my family are gay and I know the struggles they have endured throughout their lives to be who they are and I want to stand with them at all times."

Mr. Calsolaro is a champion of LGBT issues and has a proven record supporting our community as an elected official. The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse Dominick Calsolaro's re-election to the 1st Ward of the Albany Common Council.

Mr. Calsolaro is running unopposed.

Albany Common Council, 4th Ward - Barbara Smith (D, WFP - Open seat)

Ms. Smith is a nationally known lesbian author and activist involved in the civil rights, peace, women's and LGBT movements since the 1960s, who was recently nominated for a Nobel Prize. She answered every question on our questionnaire correctly, adding, "I think that members of the LGBT community should support my candidacy because of my many years of work within our movement. … Holding elected office will provide new avenues for continuing to work on behalf of our community."

The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse Barbara Smith's candidacy for Albany Common Council, 4th Ward.

Ms. Smith is running unopposed.

Albany Common Council, 6th Ward - Richard Conti (D, WFP - Incumbent)

Mr. Conti, an openly gay man, has been on the council since 1997 and is Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Richard Gottfried. He organized the campaign to establish Albany's domestic partner registry and sponsored legislation to give DP benefits to city employees, and to ban discrimination based upon gender identity and expression, all of which are now law. He answered every question on our questionnaire correctly.

Mr. Conti is a champion of LGBT issues and has a proven record supporting our community as an elected official. The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse Richard Conti's re-election to the 6th Ward of the Albany Common Council.

Mr. Conti is running unopposed.

Albany Common Council, 7th Ward - Catherine M. Fahey (D, WFP - Open seat)

Ms. Fahey is a teacher who has been an activist and organizer around education issues for 15 years. She answered almost every question on our questionnaire correctly, though she supported funding of the Boy Scouts and said in response to the question on a woman's right to choose, "Under 18 years of age should have parental consent before any medical procedure." She also wrote: "The 7th Ward in Albany has a sizeable population of politically active LGBT citizens. I hope to show these citizens that I support their political agenda and plan to work together with them to achieve positive results."

The Empire State Pride Agenda is pleased to endorse Catherine Fahey's candidacy for Albany Common Council, 7th Ward.

Ms. Fahey's opponent is Republican candidate, Ford McLain, who filled out a questionnaire and who the Pride Agenda endorsed in his primary race.

 

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