Returned certified letters, denied interviews, and insider endorsements fuel a fight inside the Hartland Republican Committee.
HARTLAND, NY - A dispute inside the Hartland Republican Committee is
raising questions about whether local residents were given a fair chance to run for office or whether insiders controlled the endorsement process before voters ever reached the ballot box.The issue is documented in part by a February 6, 2025 letter from Karen Walp to Mr. Andres. In that letter, Walp wrote that she and her husband Sean, along with Margaret Zaepfel and Elizabeth Neadow, wanted to run for open committee seats and were told to contact the local committee chairman.
According to Walp’s letter, they attempted to send a letter of intent to Ross Annable by certified mail, but the letter was returned unopened. Walp wrote that Annable knew what the letter was because he had called the town to ask about it.
Walp also wrote that after she and Sean were elected, they asked for a copy of the bylaws but were still waiting.
A separate January 30, 2025 notice signed by Karen Walp announced that the Town of Hartland Republican Committee would interview and endorse candidates interested in running for town elected positions. The notice invited interested candidates to attend a February 5 meeting at Hartland Town Hall.
But according to Walp’s February 6 letter, when a local resident wanted to run for an open board seat, a meeting was scheduled to interview the potential candidate and Annable responded that he had no interest in interviewing because the incumbents were running again and he and Chad would endorse them.
A second account provided to Real Niagara Times / Wake Up NY states that Sean and Karen Walp were supposed to interview Tom Sullivan before a town board meeting. Annable reportedly texted that there was no sense in attending because he already had two candidates he was going to stand behind, creating a 2-to-2 stalemate.
A Hartland Republican Committeemen flyer frames the issue more broadly. It states that committeemen are elected to represent the interests and concerns of the people in their districts, including finding candidates before they are placed on the ballot. The flyer also states that new candidates have had difficulty receiving assistance when running against incumbent committeemen or career politicians.
The flyer makes a sharper accusation as well: that local politicians have been appointed into committee positions and endorsed themselves for office. It concludes by calling for elected candidates who are more engaged with voters.
This is more than an internal party fight. In towns where one party dominates local politics, committee endorsements can shape the ballot before the average resident even knows who is running. If challengers are denied interviews, if letters are returned unopened, or if insiders preselect incumbents, then voters may never receive a real choice.
Real Niagara Times / Wake Up NY reached out to Ross Annable seeking comment on the returned certified letter, the committee bylaws, the candidate interview process, the endorsement of incumbents, and the claims raised by Karen Walp. As of publication, Annable has not returned calls or provided a response.
The Hartland Republican Committee and county party leadership should answer several questions: Were all interested candidates interviewed? Were bylaws provided to elected committee members? Who controlled endorsements? Were committee seats used to protect incumbents? Did any official use a party position to endorse himself or his allies?
For Hartland residents, the issue is basic: local elections should be open, fair, and competitive. The committee process should serve voters, not shield the political status quo from accountability.
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Source notes / records to attach or verify: • February 6, 2025 letter from Karen Walp to Mr. Andres. • January 30, 2025 public notice signed by Karen Walp regarding interviews and endorsements. • Hartland Republican Committeemen flyer explaining duties and concerns. • Returned certified mail envelope or receipt records. • Text message allegedly sent by Ross Annable regarding not interviewing Tom Sullivan. • Committee bylaws and any county Republican Committee rules regarding interviews and endorsements. |
