The North Elba Republican Committee is excited about the experience and knowledge of various candidates for a variety of state, county and town positions soon to be decided by the voters on Nov. 7.

The following is a brief reminder of the candidates and positions they are running for:

Paul Davenport, Supreme Court justice candidate, has 32 years of experience as an accomplished trial attorney practicing in Supreme Courts and a reputation for being a hard working, fair and well-respected professional. He has the right experience and is the right choice for upstate New York.

Chelsea Merrihew, Essex County clerk candidate, was the choice of the Essex County Board of Supervisors and is currently the acting county clerk with 16 years of experience. She is a true public servant who exhibits hard work, professionalism and transparency. She has demonstrated a deep understanding of the responsibilities of the clerk’s office.

Dick Cummings, Town Council candidate, is a local pharmacist and is well-known in Lake Placid. Throughout his career, he chalked up over 40 years serving the public, including at Kinney Drugs for 15 years. Dick is still energized and going full steam ahead to serve a second term on the Town Council. One of his pet projects is to expand the lacrosse fields to include volleyball, pickleball and maybe a bike pump track.

Andy Borden, Town Council candidate, is a life-long resident of Lake Placid and has served the community well in an array of professions and activities. He was a police officer for 20 years, fireman for 10 years, has owned a personal business for 15 years, has been a spiritual leader for 17 years and even found time to be a vice president of the Lake Placid Pee Wee Association. Andy now serves on the North Elba Republican Committee. A first-time candidate, he is interested in working with the affordable housing and emergency room issues.

Laurie Dudley, town clerk candidate, can be seen most any business day in her office serving the community in countless ways. She has served as town clerk since 2009. In addition to her daily duties, which include everything from issuing fishing and hunting licenses to collecting taxes and maintaining records, she attends Town Council meetings and records notes. Laurie is a true public servant.

Ken Porter, town highway superintendent candidate, is starting his 34th year with the North Elba Highway Department. During this era, he served 11 years as deputy highway superintendent prior to being elected as the highway superintendent in 2019. Ken’s No. 1 priority is safety, which includes timely snow removal and paving and road care during the summer months. He is also very conscientious about staying within his budget while maintain good service with rising costs. Ken is conscientious, knowledgeable and is always available to listen to North Elba citizens no matter the season or project. (Slippery roads? Call Ken.)

Jay Rand

North Elba Republican Committee