Republicans To Use Secret Ballot to Make State Senate Choice

Rockland County Legislator Ed Day said Rockland County Republicans will use their traditional secret ballot process to select a candidate to run for state Senate at a county convention on Monday.

Day said he met with county Republican leaders Saturday over the rules for the convention at Clarkstown Town Hall in New City and he was satisfied that the convention will use it traditional means for balloting.

Day, a New City Republican, and Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef are seeking the GOP nomination to run for the seat being vacated by state Sen. Thomas Morahan, a 79-year-old New City Republican who decided against seeking re-election because of his ongoing battle with leukemia.

On Thursday, Rockland Democrats endorsed Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci, a 29-year-old New City Democrat, as their candidate for Morahan's seat, which represents all of Rockland County and part of Orange County.

Political observers having been waiting to see what method of voting Rockland Republicans would use at their convention, whether they would stick with the traditional secret ballot or change to a roll call voice vote. Some contend the voting method could be a key to the nomination.

While Vanderhoef is a favorite of state Republican leaders, especially because of his ability to win relection in an a county that is overwhelmingly Democratic, some local Republicans are concerned about losing control of the county government if Vanderhoef went to Albany. By voting in secret, individual Republicans would not have to disclose whether they backed Day or Vanderhoef.

Vanderhoef said he has been trying to convince local Republicans that the best move for Rockland would be for him to replace Morahan as state senator.

Day contends he should be the GOP candidate for state Senate because Rocklanders are fed up with the way the state government is being run and that the existing statewide Republican leadership is part of the problem.