2026 New York General Election

About Peter Friedel

A resident of Olive, I was born and raised locally and attended the Onteora school district where both of my parents were teachers. I’m a husband and father of two. My career is in sales management, and I fully understand the real need to create better-paying jobs in our community.

Elect Peter Friedel

Friedel graduated from Onteora High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Cortland. He is a sales representative for Kimball Midwest.

Election 2025: Incumbent Nolan faces Friedel again in Ulster Legislature's District 22

Peter Friedel was born and raised locally. He holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland. He lives in Olive and is a husband and father of two.

Election 2025: Incumbent Nolan faces Friedel again in Ulster ...

Peter works as a sales representative for Kimball Midwest and has a career in sales management.

Friedel is a West Shokan resident who served on the Olive Town Board for 12 years. In addition to his unsuccessful bid for county Legislature, Fridel has made unsuccessful bids for town justice and supervisor.

Peter previously served on the Olive Town Board for 12 years. He also ran unsuccessfully for county Legislature, town justice, and town supervisor.

Friedel said in a Freeman questionnaire that he opposes the proposed Fair Taxes Act because it could lead to more taxes on everyone.

“We are already taxed too much, and these taxes will hurt small businesses as well as all the residents of the county. When we tax businesses, they often pass the costs on to consumers,” he stated, adding that he’s concerned that once the county has the authority to impose the surcharge there would be “nothing stopping the county government from lowering the bar in the future to raise more revenue.”

Election 2026: Drake, Friedel battle for open District 22 seat on Ulster Legislature

What is one concrete thing you believe you can accomplish in your term, if elected? To bring more business to Ulster County by stopping the over regulation on development and promoting more affordable house to support the growth of business

UlsterStrong_2025-GeneralElection-SurveyResults_PeterFriedel

Should Ulster County encourage more tourism? Yes

Should Ulster County work harder to diversify its local economy? Yes

Opposes the proposed Fair Taxes Act, citing potential costs to small businesses and county residents.

Proposes reducing development regulations and promoting affordable housing to bring more businesses to Ulster County.

Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.

Supports county efforts to diversify the local economy.

- Opposes the proposed Fair Taxes Act, citing potential costs to small businesses and county residents.
- Proposes reducing development regulations and promoting affordable housing to bring more businesses to Ulster County.
- Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.
- Supports county efforts to diversify the local economy.

Economy

Should more funding be allocated for building additional local parks, trails and preserving green spaces? No

Opposes allocating additional funding for local parks, trails, and green-space preservation.

- Opposes allocating additional funding for local parks, trails, and green-space preservation.

Public Services

Agenda and Focus

•	Address housing scarcity and costs

•	Grow better-paying jobs for residents

•	Improve local infrastructure

•	Regulate short term rentals (STR)

•	Protect our natural resources

•	Stop lithium battery storage sites in our district

•	Oppose raising local taxes, including the

 “Fair Tax” proposal

In your opinion, what is the top solution to the local housing crisis? Encourage the build of all types of housing

Supports building all types of housing to address the local housing crisis.

- Supports regulating short-term rentals.
- Supports building all types of housing to address the local housing crisis.

Housing & Urban Development

As of October 22, 2026, Peter Friedel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Do you support the development of local solar farms or arrays in your district/town to help reduce fossil fuel dependence? No

Do you support the State taking over local electric companies? No

Opposes developing local solar farms or arrays in the district to reduce fossil-fuel dependence.

Opposes lithium battery storage sites in District 22.

Opposes the state taking over local electric companies.

- Opposes developing local solar farms or arrays in the district to reduce fossil-fuel dependence.
- Opposes lithium battery storage sites in District 22.
- Opposes the state taking over local electric companies.

Energy & the Environment

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Peter Friedel

- Proposes reducing development regulations and promoting affordable housing to bring more businesses to Ulster County.
- Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.
- Supports county efforts to diversify the local economy.

- Opposes lithium battery storage sites in District 22.
- Opposes the state taking over local electric companies.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Sometimes supports payments in lieu of taxes and other tax incentives for development.

Education

2013-Current: Certified Project Management Professional
2012: MBA SUNY New Paltz
2007: BS in Software Engineering for the University of Advancing Technology

Robert Drake for District 22

Robert Drake earned a bachelor's degree in software engineering from the University of Advancing Technology and a master's degree in business administration from SUNY New Paltz.

Robert Drake (Photo provided)

Drake, 39, is an assistant director of technology operations who said he would bring new energy, ideas and expectations to the county position and that his experience as a town official better positions him to address the challenges the towns in District 22 are facing.

Election 2026: Ulster legislator Nolan, Drake face off in Democratic primary

Experience

2025: Reelected to Shandaken Town Board
2024: Named to the Ulster County Citizens Commission for Digital Inclusion
2023: Named Shandaken Deputy Supervisor
2021: Elected to Shandaken Town Board
15 years experience working with public libraries

Robert works as an assistant director of technology operations and has 15 years of experience working with public libraries.

Incumbent Ulster Legislator Nolan loses primary to party pick Drake

Experience

2025: Reelected to Shandaken Town Board
2024: Named to the Ulster County Citizens Commission for Digital Inclusion
2023: Named Shandaken Deputy Supervisor
2021: Elected to Shandaken Town Board

Experience

2025: Reelected to Shandaken Town Board
2024: Named to the Ulster County Citizens Commission for Digital Inclusion
2023: Named Shandaken Deputy Supervisor

Robert was elected to the Shandaken Town Board in 2021 and reelected in 2025.

Helped town become Climate Smart Certified in two years
Led process of hiring an outside fiscal consultant to revamp lagging internal fiscal controls
Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant that has allowed us to renovate the town’s Glenbrook Park

Led the hiring of an outside fiscal consultant to improve internal fiscal controls.

- Led the hiring of an outside fiscal consultant to improve internal fiscal controls.

He said he would also encourage greater shared services among communities and the county and would push for micro-transit models to bring greater public transportation access to the Catskill Mountain communities.

Rural Models for Rural Areas

Developing better ways of delivering transportation, senior services, and workforce assistance to our area.

Led process of hiring an outside fiscal consultant to revamp lagging internal fiscal controls
Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant that has allowed us to renovate the town’s Glenbrook Park

Education

Encourages greater shared services among local communities and Ulster County.

Works to improve local delivery of transportation, senior services, and workforce assistance.

Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant used to renovate Glenbrook Park.

- Encourages greater shared services among local communities and Ulster County.
- Works to improve local delivery of transportation, senior services, and workforce assistance.
- Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant used to renovate Glenbrook Park.

Keeping Families Local

Advocating for the housing choices that will prevent younger and senior residents alike from being priced out.

Selected Accomplishments

Voted to create three new committees (Conservation Advisory Council, Housing Smart, and Comprehensive Planning) all of which are vibrant and well-functioning
Helped town become Climate Smart Certified in two years
Led process of hiring an outside fiscal consultant to revamp lagging internal fiscal controls
Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant that has allowed us to renovate the town’s Glenbrook Park

Advocates for housing choices intended to prevent younger and older residents from being priced out.

Voted to create the Housing Smart committee.

- Advocates for housing choices intended to prevent younger and older residents from being priced out.
- Voted to create the Housing Smart committee.

As of October 22, 2026, Robert Drake’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Additionally, he said, he would “provide a more direct focus on the issues that exist within District 22 and solutions that can work within the unique environment of the Catskills.”

Drake said that if elected he would champion push for projects that would address the “significant flood risk” he said all of District 22 faces, including calling for mitigation infrastructure for Bridge Street bridge in Phoenicia, improved resources for the Ulster County Department of the Environment that provides flood expertise to municipalities and improved coordination between Ulster County and the Catskill Watershed Corporation to make flood mitigation programs better known and available to homeowners.

Pushes for microtransit models to expand public transportation access in Catskill Mountain communities.

Calls for flood-mitigation infrastructure at Phoenicia's Bridge Street bridge, county flood expertise, and coordination to make mitigation programs available to homeowners.

- Pushes for microtransit models to expand public transportation access in Catskill Mountain communities.
- Calls for flood-mitigation infrastructure at Phoenicia's Bridge Street bridge, county flood expertise, and coordination to make mitigation programs available to homeowners.

Voted to create three new committees (Conservation Advisory Council, Housing Smart, and Comprehensive Planning) all of which are vibrant and well-functioning
Helped town become Climate Smart Certified in two years
Led process of hiring an outside fiscal consultant to revamp lagging internal fiscal controls
Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant that has allowed us to renovate the town’s Glenbrook Park

Floodproofing our Residents

Helping residents obtain the flood mitigation funding that will preserve their homes and protect their families

Helped the town become Climate Smart Certified within two years.

Helps residents obtain flood-mitigation funding to protect their homes.

- Helped the town become Climate Smart Certified within two years.
- Helps residents obtain flood-mitigation funding to protect their homes.

Robert Drake

- Works to improve local delivery of transportation, senior services, and workforce assistance.
- Co-wrote a Climate Smart Grant used to renovate Glenbrook Park.

Ulster County Legislator, District 22

Candidates (2)