Michael O’Connor and incumbent Lynn Beesecker each picked up a line in their race for Town Justice.
Mr. O’Connor won the Conservative primary 17-13, while Judge Beesecker prevailed in the Independence Party race 30-27.
With a small turnout expected, Munger Cottage was the only polling site in Cornwall. About half the people who showed up there weren’t eligible to vote in the Sept. 13 primary, which was limited to members of the Conservative, Independence, Green, Working Family and Women’s Equality Parties.
As of 4 p.m., 61 people had cast ballots at Munger, while 63 had been politely turned away. One woman admitted that she had come to Munger after first stopping at St. Thomas School, where she normally votes. She suggested that it would have been helpful to have a sign there directing people to the right location.
Unofficially, Lynn Beesecker, a Democrat, had more signs up than his opponent. But Michael O’Connor, a Republican, captured people’s attention by placing a large banner on the side of a van that was parked near Town Hall — an acceptable distance from the polling place.
The banner conveniently listed the party lines at stake, the date of the vote, and where people should go. The actual election will be held on Nov. 8, and the usual polling sites will be open in Cornwall.
In other primaries of local interest, Chris Eachus gained the Working Party and Women’s Equality lines in his race for the state Senate, and incumbent Robert Freehill won the Green Party Primary for county judge.