Sam Raudins reports at Columbia-Greene Media that two candidates for Hudson's Common Council have dropped out but are still on the ballot, while two other candidates have initiated write-in campaigns for the seats. First Ward Alderperson candidate Gary Purnhagen said July 2 he has taken another job that precludes him from serving, and in the Third Ward, Calvin Lewis recently accepted the assistant director position with Hudson’s Youth Department, and declined to run for Common Council. Margaret Morris is attempting a write-in campaign for the First Ward seat, and Shershah Mizan is attempting a write-in campaign for the Third Ward seat. All four are Democrats, and Lewis will also appear on the Working Families line on the ballot. The deadline to change the ballot is four days after the final day to file petitions to appear in late March. “It is too late to change the ballots, so if elected, the Council will appoint representatives of its choosing in January when their term begins,” the Hudson Democratic Committee posted on Facebook. Voting begins on Oct. 23 and continues through Nov. 2. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.