Laura Incalcaterra

lincalca@lohud.com

Races that could shift the balance of power for the Spring Valley village board and the Clarkstown Republican Party are among the stakes in Tuesday's primary.

In Spring Valley, Vilair Fonvil, appointed to his village trustee seat in December by Mayor Demeza Delhomme, faces Chrispin Eugene in a Democratic primary.

The winner has a major advantage in the general election because most registered voters in Rockland's largest village are Democrats.

Fonvil also has the Conservative and Working Families lines, but faces an opportunity-to-ballot challenge from Joseph Gross, an administrative assistant to Delhomme.

An opportunity to ballot is the same as a write-in vote, allowing voters to write in the name of a person not listed on the ballot.

Eugene, who is a small-business owner, is also running on the Organizing Rockland line.

The primary comes as the village board finds itself in almost constant turmoil.

Fonvil and Delhomme's political relationship fell apart as the two disagreed about numerous issues and Delhomme unsuccessfully tried to kick the trustee off the board.

Delhomme has also been at odds with Trustees Emilia White and Asher Grossman regarding how the village should be run.

Delhomme was jailed for four days over a dispute involving the three trustees and the opening of the village's summer camp. The mayor says the judge's decision was caused by a misunderstanding by his staff.

The village board, which includes Trustee Anthony Leon, whom Delhomme has appointed deputy mayor, is all Democratic.

When asked if he would vote along with Delhomme and Leon, Eugene told The Journal News last month that he would make decisions based on what's right for Spring Valley.

Another candidate, Eudson Francois, is running on the Community First line.

In Ramapo, Town Justice David Stein faces a Democratic primary challenge from Christine Theodore, a Spring Valley village justice. Stein is also running on the Republican, Independence, Working Families and Green Party lines.

Democrat Rolf Thorsen and Republican Michael Koplen both hope to succeed County Court Judge William K. Nelson, who is retiring.

Thorsen, a Clarkstown town justice, also has the Conservative, Working Families and Independence lines. Koplen, a New Hempstead village trustee and former county legislator, is also running on the Stop Common Core line.

In the 96th state Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Kenneth Zebrowski faces a challenge from P.T. Thomas, former president of the Rockland Civil Service Employees Association.

Zebrowski faces an opportunity-to-ballot challenge for the Working Families line, as well. He also has the Preserve Hudson line. The district covers all of Clarkstown and Haverstraw and part of Ramapo.

The winner or winners battle Republican Matthew Brennan in November.

In the 98th state Assembly District, which includes part of Ramapo but mostly lies in Orange County, there are Republican and Democratic primaries. The seat opened after longtime Legislator Annie Rabbitt resigned to become Orange County clerk.

Aron Wieder, a Rockland legislator, faces a Democratic primary against Elisa Tutini and Krystal Serrano, both of Monroe.

The Republican primary pits Michael Morgillo, Daniel Castricone, Kevin Hudson and Karl Brabenec, all of lower Orange County, against one another. Castricone and Brabenec will also battle for the Conservative line.

In Clarkstown, several hundred candidates are vying for seats on the town Republican Committee, as a "family feud" reaches a boiling point.

This means there will be primaries for committee seats in 65 of Clarkstown's overall 77 election districts. About 200 of the estimated 240 total committee seats are up for grabs. The candidates mostly fall into one of two camps — supporting either County Legislator Frank Sparaco or County Executive Ed Day.

Twitter: @LauraInc15