SARANAC LAKE — Current Franklin County District 7 Legislator Lindy Ellis has endorsed Danielle Carr in the race for her seat, officially leaving the race, though Ellis’ name will still appear on the ballot.

In the race for the District 7 seat, which includes the town of Franklin and Harrietstown, Carr is running on the independent “Independent North Country” party line and Jeff Branch is running on the independent “Common Ground” party line.

While there are four different names on the ballot, they are the only two still campaigning in the race. Ellis, a Democrat, dropped out of the race in July citing “intimidation … harassment and bullying,” but did not endorse any candidates at the time.

In the months since, she said she’s spoken with Carr and has been impressed with her ideas, experience, leadership and knowledge. She believes Carr is the best candidate to succeed her in the legislature.

“Sitting down with Danie made the difference for me,” Ellis said.

Ellis said she voted by early voting on Thursday and cast her ballot for Carr.

Republican Leigh Wenske dropped out of the race in June after learning that Branch was running because he believes Branch would make a better legislator.

Both Wenske and Ellis dropped out of the race after the deadline to take their names off the ballot had passed, so they still appear on the ballot on both major party lines, though they are not seeking votes.

After an Enterprise article on the race on Oct. 31, in which Ellis said if she the voters want her, and she was the highest vote-getter in the election, she would accept the win and take the position, Ellis said she had been getting a lot of questions from voters and wanted to vocalize her support for Carr.

Wenske has also thrown his full support behind Branch for the county seat.

“Now that he (Branch) is running, I think with his past political experience … I think he would make the best candidate,” Wenske said in June. “I’m throwing all my support behind Jeff Branch. I think he’s the best one to improve relations.”

“I’m glad she’s doing the honorable thing and bowing out completely,” Branch said of Ellis’ endorsement of Carr.

He had been worried that the legislator was running a “whisper campaign” and was still seeking votes in the election.

Carr said she’s grateful for Ellis’ vote, but more so, she said the current legislator’s endorsement signifies that, if she wins, there would be a good transition.

Ellis was out of the country for a bit, so they couldn’t meet earlier, but she said in talking with Carr, she could sense Carr’s direct knowledge of what concerns local families, who Ellis said are the “backbone” of the community.

Ellis said half of a legislator’s job is working with individuals to find them solutions to problems they face on the county level, and she said Carr already does this through her counseling practice.

“I like what Danie is focusing on and feel good about Danie herself. She has a positive energy,” Ellis wrote in a letter to the Enterprise. “She looks for solutions that have worked in other communities, to find middle ground solutions for all of us.”

Ellis said Carr’s knowledge and ability to connect with people are “superstrength(s)” she learned in her counseling practice.

Ellis said she likes Carr’s focuses and goals — affordable housing, childcare and financial responsibility — as well as Carr’s background and insights into the effects these can have on families.

“We did a fist bump when we both talked about housing ideas that have worked in Vermont, in communities like ours,” Ellis wrote.

Ellis called Carr “a leader” who has “elevated” these discussions.

Carr said she wants to pick up some of the projects Ellis has been working on, chiefly broadband expansion.

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Voting information

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Election Day is Nov. 8. Polls on that day will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Early voting at the Franklin County Courthouse has started. The one polling location for early voting in Franklin County is at 355 West Main St., Suite 161, Malone, and lasts until Nov. 6. This voting site is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Nov. 1 and 3, the offices will be open from 12 to 8 p.m.

The last day to deliver an absentee ballot application in person at the county offices in Malone is Nov. 7.

Absentee ballots for the Nov. 8 election must reach the county board of election by close of the polls on Election Day or be postmarked no later than the day of the election and received by Nov. 15.