Cornwall Councilwoman Virginia Scott announced this week that she will not be running for re-election to her current seat on the Town Board as she instead plans to run to be the legislator for the new 12th District of the Orange County Legislature.

Her current term on the Town Board is set to expire on December 31, 2025.

The seat she is running for in the Legislature is currently held by Cornwall’s Kevin Hines, who has said he is not seeking re-election. Scott announced her candidacy on Friday evening. The district she will be representing if she wins the race includes sections of the towns of Cornwall, New Windsor and Newburgh. Currently, she said, the new district contains 7011 registered voters from the Town of Cornwall, 8211 registered voters from the Town of New Windsor, and 3439 registered voters from the Town of Newburgh.

Scott has served as a town councilwoman since 2019 and has been a science educator and community volunteer for 30 years.

“After several years of serving our community and successfully delivering common-sense solutions in town government, I’m running to build on this experience and represent the needs of residents throughout the 12th District,” she said. “There’s a lot of good work to be done, and it starts with partnerships between local and Orange County governments to promote economic growth while protecting our natural resources.”

She said her professional life, as a teacher, has helped prepare her for the position.

“As an educator, I understand the need to invest in educational training opportunities for a stronger workforce, where everyone has the opportunity to earn a livable wage,” she said. “In addition, we need to improve county infrastructure, including roads and access to reliable public transportation, which will reduce the daily challenges residents face. Every day, I will focus on enhancing the quality of life throughout our county and strengthening the health of our communities.”