Town of Highlands voters will have just one local position on the November 3 ballot – to elect a supervisor.

When voters go to the polls, they will find just one choice, on the Democratic and Highlands First lines: long-time supervisor Bob Livsey, a Fort Montgomery resident and proprietor of Richie’s Little Place on Rt. 9W.

However, Livsey does have an opponent; Fort Montgomery’s Pete Kinney is staging a write-in campaign. It was just a year ago, November 4, 2025, that Livsey successfully ran for re-election on the Democratic and ‘Highlands Strong’ ballot lines, and defeated Republican challenger Pete Kinney – on the ballot last year – with a vote of 603 to 537.

Why is the supervisor’s position on the ballot again this year? Due to a state realignment of local election years, last year’s win earned Livsey a transitional one-year term starting January 1, 2026. This year, the position is for the traditional two-year term.

In campaign materials, Livsey emphasizes his accessibility to constituents seven days a week by phone, email, or in person. On the board, Livsey serves as the town’s treasurer, and serves as a liaison for areas like parks, communications and insurance, and he is the town’s marriage officer.

During Livsey’s tenure, he and the Town Board have focused on local infrastructure, including expanding the municipal water and sewer systems and maintaining local roads. For the past three years he has spent much of his time working with other town officials and federal FEMA representatives to rebuild the town after the July 9, 2023 devastating flood.

Livsey also makes the case that he is the only official candidate running for the job, having collected the signatures to get on the ballot as the Democratic Committee’s selected nominee. He said he appreciates the support of all those who signed his petitions, and the Democratic Committee for allowing him to continue to remain as their candidate. He said he also is grateful to those community residents who have talked with him about his tenure as supervisor, and those who attend town board meetings to learn about town business.

He also said that in the weeks ahead those who have questions about his campaign, or ongoing town business, should also reach out.

Kinney has made his campaign platform public in recent months, listing five specific issues he’d like to work on. Livsey and Kinney are both U.S. Army veterans.

Voters will also be asked to vote on federal (U.S. representative) and state (governor & lieutenant governor, comptroller, attorney general, etc.) positions. As well, in more local elections, votes are to be cast in the 42nd District Senate and 99th District Assembly seats, the Orange County Sheriff, and several three Supreme Court judges. A sample ballot is available at orangecountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/38553/Highlands-Dist-1-8.

Early voting begins on Saturday, Oct. 24, at eight locations throughout Orange County, the closest being the New Windsor Community Center (555 Union Ave., New Windsor). Other locations, dates and times are available at orangecountyny.gov/783/Board-of-Elections.

On November 3 the local polls – the Highland Falls Senior Center and the Fort Montgomery Fire House – are open from 6 a.m.-9 p.m.