LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Livingston County Republican Chair Lowell Conrad announced that he will not be seeking another term.
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Conrad has served as Chair for 32 years. His current term is up in September 2019.
“The reason I got involved was very simply my concern over the increasing growth and cost of government,” said Conrad during an episode of ‘Sunday Cup of Coffee’ at the GeneseeSun.com. “Now my story is that it’s time for me to draw my pension. For those who believe it, I tell them it’s based on 100 percent of my highest year, which is zero. […] I’m on the verge of hanging it up.”
The Republican committee has been in Livingston County for over 50 years.
Conrad still has his opinions on committees and how they should be run.
The Committee, like all political committees, designates candidates for office before elections. It is there that the candidates who names will appear on the Republican line for County offices are chosen in a weighted vote by 78 committee members. Conrad said that since 1981, this has been done in an open meeting, with members of the public and press invited to attend and see which committee members vote for which candidates. He expressed concern with a growing movement in the party to move these committee designation meetings, the caucuses, to a secret proceeding.
“My attitude has been if you’re a committeeman, you’re representing in this case the Republicans of your district,” said Conrad. “As a representative, you are not entitled to a secret ballot. You’re there as a representative and people are entitled to know how you vote.”
The full interview with Conrad is accessible here.