Columbia County Voter Guide

Welcome!

2011-09-28T20:34:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the

2011

Columbia County

Voter Guide

This year there are 4 Countywide races in Columbia County. The positions are County Judge, District Attorney, County Treasurer and County Coroner. There are 9 Contested Supervisor races around the county. See those here.

County Judge

Hudson City Judge Richard Koweek will face current District Attorney Beth Cozzolino who is abandoning her DA's position to seek the County Judge seat. Judge Koweek has the Democratic and Working Families Party lines and Cozzolino has the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.

Profile here.

District Attorney

Former District Attorney Eugene Keeler will face former County Judge Paul Czajka, who stepped down from the bench, to run for DA. Mr. Keeler has the Democratic and Working Families lines while Cjaika has the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.

Profile here.

County Treasurer

Certified Public Accountant Peter Stoll will face businessman, PJ Keeler in the race for County Treasurer. Mr. Stoll has the Democratic and Working Families Party lines and Keeler has the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.

Profile here.

County Coroner

The incumbent County Coroner George Davis M.D. will face Jim Bertram. Dr. Davis is seeking his 2nd term. Dr. Davis has the Democratic and Working Families Party lines and Bertram has the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.

Profile here.

Judge Richard Koweek for Columbia County Judge

2011-09-27T02:17:00.002-04:00

Judge Richard Koweek

Judge Richard Koweek for
Columbia County Judge

Richard Koweek of Hudson is an experienced, dedicated lawyer and judge who is ready, willing, and able to assume the responsibilities of County Court and to deliver the high quality judicial service that Columbia County deserves.

Richard Koweek is a lifelong Hudson resident.
He and his wife, Toni Koweek, also an attorney, raised their family here.

For the past 32 years, Richard Koweek’s law practice has concentrated in the areas of surrogate practice, criminal law, civil law, and family law. Since 2009 he has served as Hudson City Court Judge, bringing to the bench a combination of legal experience and community knowledge.

County Court jurisdiction is broad and diverse, and the position of County Court Judge is multifaceted. It requires a person who:

can deal with emotional family issues with sensitivity and understanding.
is firm and forthright when dealing with people who have harmed others.
understands the legal complexities of estate and civil practice.
is fair and respects all who come before the Court.
Judge Koweek’s background, temperament, and experience uniquely qualify him to be the next Columbia County Court judge.

Richard Koweek: A Community Volunteer

Richard Koweek has served on the Board of Directors of Columbia Memorial Hospital, Columbia Children’s Foundation, Second Show, and Parsons Child and Family Center. He has served on the Board of Education for the Hudson City School District and as a director of the Ghostly Gallop, the Hudson Library 5K race. Time spent working with others to improve the community provides its own reward, and an understanding of the issues the community faces.

Judge Koweek has been endorsed by:
The Columbia Paper
Columbia County Democratic Committee
Working Families Party of New York State
Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

Visit Judge Koweek's Website

See Endorsement in The Columbia Paper
See Profile in The Columbia Paper
See Profile in Register-Star

Peter Stoll for Columbia County Treasurer

2011-09-27T01:53:00.005-04:00

Peter Stoll CPA for
Columbia County Treasurer

Peter Stoll’s family roots in Columbia County reach back into the 1940s, and he has witnessed the many changes that have shaped this area.

Peter Stoll has managed the finances for several mid-size businesses for the past 35 years. In this way he has developed the skills required to manage, monitor, and control the way public money is spent in Columbia County. He is eager to put his skills to work for the benefit of all of us, and to help reduce the cost of managing the County’s government.

Highlights of Peter Stoll’s Professional Experience
A Certified Public Accountant licensed and registered in New York State with extensive audit and income tax experience.
Successfully developed and implemented effective accounting, financial, and budgeting systems for companies over a 35-year period.

Chief financial officer for three companies with revenues of more than $150 million annually.
Extensive knowledge of information technology, financial systems, and internal controls.
A record of implementing major cost savings.
An entrepreneur who understands business.
Superior communication and managerial skills.

Endorsed By:
Governor Andrew Cuomo The Columbia Paper
Columbia County Democratic Committee
Working Families Party of New York State
Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

See Peter's My View piece in the Register-Star
Learn more about Peter Stoll at www.peterstoll.com
Join Peter Stoll for Treasurer on Facebook

See profile in Register-Star

Eugene Keeler for Columbia County District Attorney

2011-09-27T01:30:00.001-04:00

Eugene Keeler

Eugene Keeler for
Columbia County District Attorney

Eugene Keeler of Claverack is a lifelong Columbia County resident. In 32 years of service to the county he has been elected district attorney and held the positions of public defender, conflict public defender, and, currently, director of legal and advocacy services at COARC.

Eugene Keeler holds a J.D. degree from the University of Memphis and a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. He is an attorney with 30 years of general practice that includes criminal law and elder law, and a licensed master’s-level social worker.

As Columbia County District Attorney, Eugene Keeler will:

End the “get out of jail free” program for the well-connected
Lock up hard-core criminals
Give all citizens equal treatment under the law
Handle cases quickly
Make sure that all evidence gets to court
Cooperate fully with the police and community agencies
Keep the D.A.’s office open and accessible to all
Assist victims
Work full time and save taxpayer money
Care about justice, not statistics

Eugene Keeler has been endorsed by:
Columbia County Democratic Committee
Working Families Party
Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

See Profile in Register-Star
See coverage of DA Debate in Register-Star

George Davis MD for Columbia County Coroner

2011-09-27T01:21:00.006-04:00

George Davis MD

Dr. George Davis for
County Coroner

George Davis of Germantown is incumbent County Coroner for Columbia County.

Dr. Davis has:
4 years’ experience as County Coroner
30 years’ experience in family practice medicine in Columbia County
Extensive training in death investigation
Knowledge of the legal system and ethics
A Master’s Degree in bioethics
Extensive experience in grief work
George Davis is a team-oriented professional, part of the leadership at Columbia Memorial Hospital.

Unique Experience for a Unique Role.

See Endorsement in The Columbia Paper
See Profile in Register-Star