Four Democratic candidates vying to succeed Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan participated in a debate on Wednesday (April 30) at WRGB-TV studios in Niskayuna. The candidates—Dorcey Applyrs, Dan Cerruti, Corey Ellis, and Carolyn McLaughlin—presented their plans for the city as they compete in the upcoming June primary and November general election.

Public safety emerged as a central theme during the debate. Dorcey Applyrs, Albany's current chief auditor, emphasized the importance of community involvement in addressing safety concerns. She stated, "It's important to make sure that we're bringing people together, including our neighbors, our residents to contribute to solving some of our challenges, which are all solvable."

Dan Cerruti, a political newcomer with a background in business and technology, highlighted his plan to rebuild the police force by adding 30 beat cops to neighborhoods. He said, "Help these people on our street, to get them the treatment and the housing that they need."

Corey Ellis, a seasoned Albany politician and current Common Council president, focused on improving the quality of life as a means to address crime. He remarked, "Crime is the end result, the end result, of things not being taken care of at the front end."

Carolyn McLaughlin, a lifelong Albany resident and former Common Council president, proposed incentivizing police officers to live within the city. She expressed her desire to see officers make both professional and personal commitments to Albany.

Voters will decide which candidate will represent the Democratic Party in the mayoral race after the primary on June 24. The general election is scheduled for November.

Elvis Duran