LOWVILLE — The two candidates for Lewis County judge will face off Thursday in two minor-party primary elections, while Lyonsdale Republicans will choose candidates for supervisor and council vacancies.

Independence and Conservative party members throughout the county will determine whether Republican Daniel R. King or Democrat Kevin M. McArdle will hold their respective lines in the Nov. 6 general election.

Mr. King already has been endorsed by the county’s Independence Party committee, as well as the county Republican committee, but Independence Party voters have the ultimate decision on which candidate holds their party line.

Mr. King, a former county public defender who operates a private practice in Lowville, will appear on the Republican line in the general election, while Mr. McArdle, court attorney for state Supreme Court Judge Charles C. Merrell, has secured both Democratic and independent lines.

The Lewis County judgeship, which also covers Family and Surrogate courts, has been vacant since Jan. 1, when Judge Merrell moved up to state Supreme Court.

Mr. McArdle has spent the past nine years as court attorney for Judge Merrell. Before advising Judge Merrell, Mr. McArdle was county attorney from 1994 to 2002 and represented nine towns and two villages as their municipal attorney.

He also previously was a confidential law clerk for former local Judges J. Robert Lynch, John S. Parker and Nathaniel B. Merrell and operated a private law practice in Lowville for 16 years.

Mr. King began working here in 1993, both in private practice and as assistant to then-Public Defender Joanne K. Smith. He subsequently was public defender from 2002 through February 2009, when he stepped down to focus on his practice and spend time with his family. He has continued to do some work in Criminal and Family courts over the past three years.

Chairmen of the county Republican and Independence parties cited Mr. King’s nearly 20 years of experience with County, Family and Surrogate courts as a major factor in their endorsements, according to a release from his campaign.

In Lyonsdale, Republican Bruce Samson will challenge Republican Supervisor Marylou Hawk, who was appointed to the post in January following the resignation of Samuel A. Marmon.

Republican Joan Goodfellow is challenging Republican Councilwoman Kathleen O’Brien, a past town clerk who was appointed to fill Mrs. Hawk’s seat on the Town Council.

Only the two winners of the GOP primaries will appear on the November ballot, since none of the town candidates secured any other party lines.

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