Nyack-Piermont 2012 Election Guide

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Nyack-Piermont Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race, issue and candidate in town.

Here are a handful that residents are already talking about:

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Rep. Nita Lowey (D-Rockland/Westchester) is seeking re-election on the heels of her 19 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the past two years, Lowey has served the 18th district, a swath that come November. If elected, Lowey would then pick up Mt. Kisco and all of Rockland County, and overall see the newly-crafted 17th shift further north. The GOP choice to face her? Joe Carvin faces a primary challenge June 26 against Jim Russell.

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Redistricting is also affecting Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx), who is seeking re-election after almost two decades in the House. Engel currently represents a region that includes the northwestern part of the Bronx, traveling north up Yonkers, the Rivertowns and part of Tarrytown, and connects to southern Rockland via the Tappan Zee Bridge. Now, , remaining in the Bronx while picking up part of Lowey's southern Westchester area. His district will be renumbered from the 17th to the 16th.

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Clarkstown Town Justice Rolf Thorsen is running for a second term and has been endorsed by the Clarkstown Democratic Committee and the Independence Party and Working Families Party. Republican Dan Weisberg is challenging Thorsen.

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State Sen. David Carlucci (D-New City) is running for a second term in the 38th State Senate District. The district was redrawn earlier this year and will include the Towns of Ramapo, Clarkstown, and Orangetown in Rockland County, as well as the Town of Ossining in Westchester County. Former Ossining Village Trustee and Deputy Mayor Janis A. Castaldi is the Republican nominee to run against Carlucci. She won the nomination of the Republican Committees of Rockland and Westchester counties.

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As the race for the White House heats up and commandeers headlines, Patch will focus on how the nation election affects local residents. While president Barack Obama faces off with his republican challenger, we'll keep communities engaged with stories and polls . We'll also be tracking the Republican primaries, which come to a close in June 26.

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In Rockland, county executive C. Scott Vanderhoef has another year left on his term—he won't be on the ballot again until November 2013. But the fiscal crunch hitting Rockland may very well color voters' other decisions at their polling place. Patch has kept a close eye on , which include and a new . Stay tuned to Patch for updates.

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Incumbent U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will face off against the GOP pick. The GOP primary is June 26; Bob Turner, the public servant who grabbed Anthony Wiener's seat and then had it redistricted out from under him, is already running against Gillibrand.

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Patch readers have a unique opportunity to become involved this elections cycle, beyond news tips and comments. If you're serious about a certain post, candidate or issue, use our blogging feature to connect with other residents and sound-off on the political stage. To get started, click here. ( and Orangetown supervisor Andy Stewart already have blogs.)