Town of Ballston Supervisor Patti Southworth turned in a change-of-enrollment to the State Board of Elections on Wednesday, Sept. 10, quitting the Democratic Party.
She said is had no relation to her husband’s failed bid for the 110th district State Democratic Committee seat the day before, which he lost to incumbent Shawn Thomas 1,161 to 989.
I have been thinking about it for months, said Southworth.
The supervisor will be changing her affiliation to the Independence Party, who she says has supported her in all her election bids and reflects her fiscally conservative views.
Southworth cited a failure of Democratic leadership in Saratoga County and divisive party politics as influencing her decision.
`I just question the direction that the party is going,` she said. `I don’t think the party leadership in Saratoga represents the average Democrat.`
Southworth is the only Democrat on the otherwise Republican Town Board. She said that she has confidence that her constituency will understand her decision.
`I hope that the residents of the town realize I have to be true to my beliefs,` said Southworth.“