2026 New York General Election

I grew up on Long Island, where I built my first career as a massage therapist. In my mid-thirties, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life: moving to Ulster County so my two daughters could grow up surrounded by family and their cousins, who were already here.

Hi, It’s Amy | Elect Amy Dooley

In 2015, I felt it was time for a new direction. I enrolled at SUNY Ulster to study graphic design and photography, returning to my first passion—the arts. Just as I was launching my creative career, Covid struck.

About Amy Dooley | Elect Amy Dooley

I’m a Realtor and the owner of a small art gallery and pottery studio in the Hamlet of Highland, where I’ve lived for the past six years. I moved here from New Paltz, where I raised my daughters, to be close to my mother as she ages. My brother and his family live nearby in Eddyville.

Amy Dooley grew up on Long Island. She enrolled at SUNY Ulster to study graphic design and photography. She lives in the Hamlet of Highland and has two daughters.

She is the owner of Studio 89 and a part-time realtor at Hudson Dwellings Realty. She will hold the Democratic and Working Families lines.

Election 2026: Dooley defends Ulster seat against Litts in District 9 rematch

My career has been diverse and largely self-employed. I began as a massage therapist, a profession I practiced for 15 years. After moving to the Hudson Valley from Long Island in 2004, I transitioned to real estate and built a successful career as a Realtor.

Amy is the owner of Studio 89 and works part-time as a real estate agent at Hudson Dwellings Realty. She previously worked as a massage therapist.

Election 2026: Dooley defends Ulster seat against Litts in District 9 ...

Amy Dooley
District No. 9 - Town of Esopus, Town of Lloyd
View Legislator Dooley's:
Attendance | Voting Record
Sponsored Resolutions
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Legislators | The Ulster County Legislature

Dooley, 57, who lives in the town of Lloyd, is finishing her first one-year term in office.

Amy currently serves as the Ulster County legislator for District 9, which includes the towns of Esopus and Lloyd. She is finishing her first one-year term in office.

Amy Dooley - The Ulster County Legislature

Supporting the workforce: Supports prevailing wages, project labor agreements where appropriate, apprenticeships, responsible-bidder standards, wage-theft protections, and meaningful oversight of publicly supported development.

First-Term Work | Elect Amy Dooley

Small-business access to county contracts: Sponsored the updated county Procurement Manual, including local-vendor outreach, clearer guidance, recurring training, and easier ways for small and local businesses to learn about county contracting opportunities.

Artist Corporations: Asking New York lawmakers to develop Artist Corporation legislation modeled on Colorado. The concept would help artists and creative workers move from isolated 1099 work toward shared business ownership, retained intellectual property, pooled resources, investment opportunities, and better access to benefits.

Transparent public incentives: Supports stronger IDA accountability, clear public benefits, and clawbacks when promised jobs or community benefits are not delivered.

Local farms: Co-sponsored support for federal agricultural assistance after the April 2026 freeze damaged Ulster County farms.

Supports prevailing wages, appropriate project labor agreements, apprenticeships, wage-theft protections, and oversight of publicly supported development.

Sponsored updates to the county Procurement Manual to expand local small businesses' access to county contracts.

Calls for New York Artist Corporation legislation to support shared business ownership, retained intellectual property, and benefits access for creative workers.

Supports stronger Industrial Development Agency accountability, clear public benefits, and provisions to recover benefits when promised jobs or community benefits are not delivered.

Co-sponsored support for federal agricultural assistance after an April 2026 freeze damaged Ulster County farms.

- Supports prevailing wages, appropriate project labor agreements, apprenticeships, wage-theft protections, and oversight of publicly supported development.
- Sponsored updates to the county Procurement Manual to expand local small businesses' access to county contracts.
- Calls for New York Artist Corporation legislation to support shared business ownership, retained intellectual property, and benefits access for creative workers.
- Supports stronger Industrial Development Agency accountability, clear public benefits, and provisions to recover benefits when promised jobs or community benefits are not delivered.
- Co-sponsored support for federal agricultural assistance after an April 2026 freeze damaged Ulster County farms.

Economy

Arts and the creative economy: Supports arts as both community infrastructure and economic development; co-sponsored county support for Arts Mid-Hudson.

West Park Post Office: Advocating for restoration of convenient postal access for West Park residents, many of whom lack home delivery and rely on the post office for medications, benefits, and essential correspondence.

Public schools: Supports strong public education, career and technical pathways, and partnerships among schools, BOCES, employers, and community institutions.

Supports arts as community infrastructure and economic development and co-sponsored county support for Arts Mid-Hudson.

Advocates for restoring convenient postal access for West Park residents.

Supports public education, career and technical pathways, and partnerships among schools, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, employers, and community institutions.

- Supports arts as community infrastructure and economic development and co-sponsored county support for Arts Mid-Hudson.
- Advocates for restoring convenient postal access for West Park residents.
- Supports public education, career and technical pathways, and partnerships among schools, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, employers, and community institutions.

Public Services

Employer-Assisted Housing: Exploring ways employers can help workers with down payments, closing costs, rental assistance, or other housing needs—helping local employers recruit and retain workers while helping employees live closer to their jobs.

More Homes on the Market Act (H.R. 1340): Sponsored a county resolution supporting the federal bipartisan bill. The federal capital-gains exclusion for the sale of a primary home has not kept pace with housing prices. Updating it and tying it to inflation could help longtime homeowners—especially seniors—downsize without a large tax penalty, freeing up more homes for families and workers.

ADUs and homeownership: Supports responsibly expanding accessory dwelling units when they add genuinely affordable housing and help homeowners, seniors, and families.

Short-term rentals: Supports using accurate local data to understand how short-term rentals affect housing supply before adopting broad solutions.

Habitat for Humanity: Co-sponsored a $400,000 county contract supporting Habitat for Humanity’s housing work.

That’s why I’m working on practical solutions, including:

Developing an Employer-Assisted Housing program for Ulster County.

Supporting H.R. 1340 to raise the federal capital gains exclusion so seniors can downsize more easily and free up homes for the next generation.

Working with Habitat for Humanity to create a fairer property tax policy for Habitat homeowners.

Supporting property tax exemptions for seniors, veterans, and combat veterans.

What I Stand For | Elect Amy Dooley

Targeted property-tax relief: Supports relief for residents with disabilities and limited incomes, qualifying seniors, veterans, and active-duty combat-zone service members.

Supports targeted property-tax exemptions that help seniors and veterans remain in their homes.

Protecting seniors from tax foreclosure: Co-sponsored enhanced notice and additional services for seniors who fall behind on property taxes.

Explores employer-assisted housing to help workers with housing costs and help employers recruit and retain staff.

Sponsored a county resolution supporting the More Homes on the Market Act, which would update and index the federal home-sale capital-gains exclusion to inflation.

Supports responsibly expanding accessory dwelling units when they provide genuinely affordable housing and assist homeowners, seniors, and families.

Supports using local data on short-term rentals' effects on housing supply before adopting broad policies.

Co-sponsored a $400,000 county contract supporting Habitat for Humanity's housing work.

Works with Habitat for Humanity on a property-tax policy for Habitat homeowners.

Supports targeted property-tax relief for qualifying seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and residents with limited incomes.

Co-sponsored enhanced notices and additional services for seniors behind on property taxes to help prevent tax foreclosure.

- Explores employer-assisted housing to help workers with housing costs and help employers recruit and retain staff.
- Sponsored a county resolution supporting the More Homes on the Market Act, which would update and index the federal home-sale capital-gains exclusion to inflation.
- Supports responsibly expanding accessory dwelling units when they provide genuinely affordable housing and assist homeowners, seniors, and families.
- Supports using local data on short-term rentals' effects on housing supply before adopting broad policies.
- Co-sponsored a $400,000 county contract supporting Habitat for Humanity's housing work.
- Works with Habitat for Humanity on a property-tax policy for Habitat homeowners.
- Supports targeted property-tax relief for qualifying seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and residents with limited incomes.
- Co-sponsored enhanced notices and additional services for seniors behind on property taxes to help prevent tax foreclosure.

Housing & Urban Development

Community policing: Supports de-escalation, body cameras, community trust, and alternatives to incarceration where appropriate.

Federal immigration enforcement policy: Co-sponsored a county policy restricting the use of county property for federal immigration-enforcement operations and supporting clear identification and accountability for agents, including opposition to masked, unidentified enforcement activity.

Domestic-violence response: Co-sponsored development of countywide standards for a Lethality Assessment Program to help identify high-risk domestic-violence situations.

Tobacco sales: Co-sponsored a requirement that licensed tobacco retailers check identification for every tobacco sale and post clear signage.

Supports police de-escalation, body cameras, community trust, and alternatives to incarceration where appropriate.

Co-sponsored a county policy restricting use of county property for federal immigration enforcement and requiring identification and accountability for agents.

Co-sponsored countywide standards for a Lethality Assessment Program to identify high-risk domestic-violence situations.

Co-sponsored a requirement for licensed tobacco retailers to check identification for every sale and post clear signage.

- Supports police de-escalation, body cameras, community trust, and alternatives to incarceration where appropriate.
- Co-sponsored a county policy restricting use of county property for federal immigration enforcement and requiring identification and accountability for agents.
- Co-sponsored countywide standards for a Lethality Assessment Program to identify high-risk domestic-violence situations.
- Co-sponsored a requirement for licensed tobacco retailers to check identification for every sale and post clear signage.

Public Safety

Bus shelters: Working to bring safe, accessible bus shelters to more locations. The Town of Lloyd has approved a resolution to cooperate with Ulster County on shelter installation throughout the town.

UCAT: Co-sponsored authorization for the county to seek and administer Federal Transit Administration funding for Ulster County Area Transit.

Works to expand safe, accessible bus shelters, including through cooperation between Ulster County and the Town of Lloyd.

Co-sponsored authorization for Ulster County to seek and administer Federal Transit Administration funding for Ulster County Area Transit.

- Works to expand safe, accessible bus shelters, including through cooperation between Ulster County and the Town of Lloyd.
- Co-sponsored authorization for Ulster County to seek and administer Federal Transit Administration funding for Ulster County Area Transit.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Protecting drinking water: Supports strong water-quality protections and careful review of development or policy decisions that could affect local water resources.

Antidegradation protections: Supports preserving high-quality waterways and preventing avoidable pollution.

Pesticide preemption: Opposes federal measures that would weaken state and local authority to protect residents and the environment from pesticides.

Supports strong water-quality protections and careful review of decisions that could affect local water resources.

Supports protections that preserve high-quality waterways and prevent avoidable pollution.

Opposes federal measures that would limit state and local authority to protect residents and the environment from pesticides.

- Supports strong water-quality protections and careful review of decisions that could affect local water resources.
- Supports protections that preserve high-quality waterways and prevent avoidable pollution.
- Opposes federal measures that would limit state and local authority to protect residents and the environment from pesticides.

Energy & the Environment

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Amy Dooley

- Sponsored updates to the county Procurement Manual to expand local small businesses' access to county contracts.
- Calls for New York Artist Corporation legislation to support shared business ownership, retained intellectual property, and benefits access for creative workers.
- Supports stronger Industrial Development Agency accountability, clear public benefits, and provisions to recover benefits when promised jobs or community benefits are not delivered.
- Co-sponsored support for federal agricultural assistance after an April 2026 freeze damaged Ulster County farms.

- Co-sponsored a county policy restricting use of county property for federal immigration enforcement and requiring identification and accountability for agents.
- Co-sponsored countywide standards for a Lethality Assessment Program to identify high-risk domestic-violence situations.
- Co-sponsored a requirement for licensed tobacco retailers to check identification for every sale and post clear signage.

Instagram

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

She is survived by her sisters, Vera Elliot of New Paltz, NY; Dian Turner and husband Richard of North Carolina; son, Herbert W. Litts III of Highland, NY; daughter, Janet Perkins and husband John of Highland, NY; daughter, Virginia Lane of Jacksonville, NC; son, John O. Litts and wife Debra of Highland, NY; grandchildren, John William Perkins Jr., Jennifer Reeves and husband Ryan, Erin Litts, Bridget Gokey and husband Jason, Kayla Paine, Julia Litts, John H. Litts; great granddaughter, Angelina Reeves; she was the beloved aunt of several nieces and nephews.

Janet Eva Litts

Herbert W. Litts III lives in Highland, New York.

Southern Ulster County 2025 General Election Results

What is your current *job title or position you hold*? Assistant Vice President, Project Manager, Business Development/ Farmer

UlsterStrong_2025-GeneralElection-SurveyResults_HerbertLitts (PDF)

Name: Herbert W. Litts III

Age: 59

Occupation: Civil engineer/ farmer

Ulster County Legislature candidate profiles

Herbert currently works as an assistant vice president and project manager in business development, and as a farmer. He is also a civil engineer.

Ulster Election 2025

KINGSTON, N.Y. — A year after losing his seat on the Ulster County Legislature to Democrat Amy Dooley, Republican Herbert Litts is looking to make a comeback. Dooley and Litts will face off in a rematch for election to the Legislature’s District 9 seat. Litts, 70, is a civil engineer and farmer who lives in the town of Lloyd. A county legislator from 2014 to 2025, Litts will hold the Republican and Conservative lines on the ballot.

Herbert previously served as a county legislator from 2014 to 2025.

Herbert Litts (Photo provided)

Litts said in a Freeman questionnaire that he opposes the Fair Taxes Act, calling it “short-sighted” and saying it would drive businesses out of the county, leading to higher unemployment.

Are PILOTS and other development tax incentives something that you: Always support

Should Ulster County encourage more tourism? Yes

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

Opposes the Fair Taxes Act, saying it would drive businesses from the county and increase unemployment.

Supports payments made instead of property taxes and other development tax incentives.

Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.

Supports further diversifying Ulster County's local economy.

- Opposes the Fair Taxes Act, saying it would drive businesses from the county and increase unemployment.
- Supports payments made instead of property taxes and other development tax incentives.
- Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.
- Supports further diversifying Ulster County's local economy.

As of October 22, 2026, Herbert W. Litts III did not have a website or any information online.

Litts said in a Freeman questionnaire that he opposes the Fair Taxes Act, calling it “short-sighted” and saying it would drive businesses out of the county, leading to higher unemployment.

He said he would make ending the use of motels and hotels as emergency shelters a priority if reelected, by supporting the development of more permanent housing.

He said he would make ending the use of motels and hotels as emergency shelters a priority if reelected, by supporting the development of more permanent housing. He criticized the county Planning Department not adhering to a county policy to identify surplus and unused county-owned property that could be converted into tiny home developments for homeless veterans and vulnerable populations and the Legislature for auctioning properties that Litts said should have been vetted for possible use as potential housing.

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

Prioritizes ending the use of motels and hotels as emergency shelters by developing more permanent housing.

Supports reviewing unused county-owned properties for potential housing, including tiny-home developments for homeless veterans and vulnerable populations.

Supports encouraging construction of all types of housing to address the local housing crisis.

- Prioritizes ending the use of motels and hotels as emergency shelters by developing more permanent housing.
- Supports reviewing unused county-owned properties for potential housing, including tiny-home developments for homeless veterans and vulnerable populations.
- Supports encouraging construction of all types of housing to address the local housing crisis.

What do you think your town should 1) Invest in, 2) Grow, 3) Attract, 4) Retain to support economic development for your constituents? Infrastructure

Supports investing in infrastructure to promote economic development.

- Supports investing in infrastructure to promote economic development.

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

Opposes state takeover of local electric companies.

- Opposes state takeover of local electric companies.

Herbert W. Litts III

- Supports payments made instead of property taxes and other development tax incentives.
- Supports encouraging more tourism in Ulster County.
- Supports further diversifying Ulster County's local economy.

As of October 22, 2026, Herbert W. Litts III’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Supports encouraging construction of all types of housing to address the local housing crisis.

Ulster County Legislator, District 9

Candidates (2)