It’s official
First ever co-chairmen are in

ALBANY COUNTY — And then there were two.

The county’s top Democrats came out in full force last night, after September’s contested election, to choose the party’s first-ever co-chairmen.

It was a freezing cold night, but the turnout was big and the reception was warm. The conference room of the Polish Community Center in Albany was packed with several hundred Democrats from every city, town, and village in the county.

Albany County Legislature majority leader, Frank Commisso, and Guilderland Democratic chair, David Bosworth, will now run the county’s party together after an agreement was reached last week to combine slates.

Bosworth ran against Commisso in September for the position, but lost 253 to 216. After a confusing standing vote without proxies allowed, the election was invalidated in a court decision because a weighted vote was not used.

Now, both men say, that is all behind them and the party is moving forward.

An overwhelming majority of the Democrats at Wednesday night’s party election voted for the new Bosworth-Commisso slate, after voting for changes in the party’s bylaws to allow co-chairs.
Part of the new bylaws state that any future mention of "chair" during the official business of the party will now refer to "co-chair."

Bosworth is also a town councilman for Guilderland and Commisso manages Albany’s port.

Only a handful of Democrats voted against the bylaw changes and the new slate.

The contested election between Commisso and Bosworth was seen as an urban-suburban rift in the county’s party, but, now, the new co-chairs say, the party is once again whole and stronger than ever.
"We will work as hard as ever to bring this party together," Commisso said after the vote. "I keep hearing this thing about the cities and the suburbs, but we’re all the same"Now let’s wear the same jerseys."

Bosworth mirrored Commisso’s sentiments.
"In the interest of party unity"we decided as a group that we would work together as a group," Bosworth said. "We need to speak with one voice in order to face the challenges in November," he continued referring to the fall’s local elections.

The new slate

The new slate includes Bruce Shultis, as first vice chair; Shirley Brown, as co-second vice chair; Matthew J. Clyne, as co-second vice chair; Carolyn McLaughlin, as secretary; and Peter Gannon, as treasurer.

The fallout from combining the two original slates resulted in several Democrats stepping down from a title seat on the committee. This issue was directly addressed during the acceptance speeches.
"I especially want to thank [Watervliet] Mayor Carlson who was originally on the slate"That’s what makes our party so strong today," Commisso said. "The same goes for those on Dave’s slate. They stepped aside for the good of Democrats in Albany County."

The former slate contenders stood and were recognized during the meeting.

Among them were Green Island’s mayor, Jack McNulty; Bethlehem’s Democratic vice-chair, Jack Cunningham; Albany Common Council member, Barbara Smith; Albany Common Council’s president, Shawn Morris; and Mayor Robert D. Carlson.

Members of the new slate also took a moment to speak to their fellow Democrats.
"There’s only one thing more exciting then to have our most talented leading us," Gannon said. "Having two of our most talented."
As for the town of Colonie, where Gannon is from, he said he is looking forward to "finally turning that town blue once and for all."
"This is a joint effort," Clyne said. "We’re going to work to make sure the party moves forward."
McLaughlin said that she was "very proud to represent the inner city of Albany."
"It’s been a dream of mine," Brown said, and now hopes to "to expand the empire."

Members of the newly elected slate stood together for the first time to a standing ovation.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart," Commisso concluded. "Without your help, Frank Commisso is nothing, David Bosworth is nothing, this slate is nothing."

Bosworth agreed.
"Tonight is not the end; tonight is the beginning," Bosworth said. "Now I think we need to get to the business of being a party."