POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has elected Julie Shiroishi as new county chairwoman.
Running unopposed, she succeeds longtime chairwoman Elisa Sumner, who retired after serving for more than 12 years.
“As a lifelong Democrat, I will be guided by our party’s core values of tolerance, respect, and pluralism,” Shiroishi said. “Whether it’s building a resilient economy and creating good-paying jobs or striving toward a more just and equitable society, Democrats are committed to making a positive difference in our communities and our lives.”
Democrats in Dutchess are making headway. This year, Democrats won a second term for County Comptroller Robin Lois, a new Democratic State Supreme Court Justice from Dutchess, and several municipal seats.
Shiroishi wants to “expand the definition of what it means to be politically engaged and encourage anyone interested in participating in Democratic politics – whether that means running for local office or helping out behind the scenes – to contact us at dutchessdemocrats@gmail.com.”
Shiroishi is a 15 year resident of the City of Beacon, was the campaign manager for State Senate candidate Karen Smythe’s 2020 campaign manager and is a member of the Beacon Democratic Committee.
She currently serves as chief of staff for Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh).
