By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-868789.mp3
Albany, NY – Some call this election year "the calm before the storm" - the 2009 election falls between federal, state and county races held during even years ... and things appear to be quite calm throughout the city of Albany... Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports
The lawn signs so prevalent during the Democratic primary are practically non-existent... 16-year incumbent Mayor Jerry Jennings is up against two major challengers. Throughout the city overall things are on the quite side... Politicians are aware that "low turnout" can be a blessing in disguise for challengers: Jennings' biggest primary challenger, Corey Ellis is backed by the Public Employees Federation and appears on the ballot on the Working Families Party line. In the Democratic primary Ellis took 44% of the vote against Jennings. Ellis is running what has been described as an "an underfunded grassroots campaign" and his supporters believe possibility of upsetting Jennings is very likely.
Like Jennings and Ellis Republican candidate Nathan Lebron is still on the campaign trail. He's excited just to be on the ballot. Another Mayoral hopeful weighs in: In a written statement, Marlon Anderson says while he is not discouraging anyone from writing his name in on the ballot, he's accepted what he calls "the inevitable" - Anderson says the race "should have been about the people and the issues" but got mired in Working Families Party politics which he sees as "four more years of Jerry Jennings" - Valerie Faust remains on the ballot as a write-in candidate. She believes the city needs a "fresh voice" - you have until 9pm to go to the polls to cast your vote!