Roger Hannigan Gilson reports for the Times Union that the issue of whether judges can order defendants to be electronically monitored while awaiting trial is part of the election for Columbia County judge. Brian Herman, an attorney and former city of Hudson justice running for Columbia County judge as a Democrat, has made it an issue. Herman sent Republican Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell a letter asking the county's leadership to allow electronic monitoring. He wrote, "Adding electronic monitoring to a judge's toolbox allows the judge the ability to honor the full intent of New York State's bail reform bill, while giving the judge the ability to insure that those who are facing criminal charges return to court." Counties, not defendants, must pay for the program, which Greene County does with the probation department overseeing the program. Murrel wrote Herman back saying that the county's "decision to not make use of electronic monitoring for pre-trial defendants has, to date, proven effective for all involved." Besides Herman, Republican Robert Gibson, a former county prosecutor and the commissioner of the county Department of Social Services; Republican Assistant District Attorney Joyce Crawford; and Democrat Michael Howard, the county's first assistant public defender, are running for two open judge seats in Columbia County this year. Read more about this story in the Times Union