NORWICH – Political races setting up for the November elections in Chenango County currently include competitions for the two-year term office of supervisor in the City of Norwich Wards 1, 2 and 3 and in the towns of Coventry, Guilford, Smithville and Smyrna.

For a second time, Republican Scott M. Sutton will take on Democrat incumbent Supervisor James J. McNeil for ward supervisor in the county’s seat. The Norwich chiropractor lost to McNeil in a close race in 2007 – 411 total votes to McNeil’s 495.

McNeil, a jeweler in Norwich, will be competing for a fifth term. He is a member of Chenango County’s Planning & Economic Development and Public Works committees. He will also appear on an independent line on the ballot called “Quality of Life.”

Sutton also filed for an independent line on the ballot called “Common Sense.” He is a member of the City of Norwich Zoning Board Of Appeals and the Parks Commission. He is also a trustee at the Broad Street United Methodist Church.

There were 3,759 active voters in the city as of Tuesday, including 1,763 Republicans, 1,083 Democrats, 199 Independence Party, 47 Conservatives, 18 Working Families, 13 Green, and 2 Libertarians. There were 605 blank or unaffiliated voters.

A three-way race has emerged for the top job in the Town of Coventry, where third-term Republican incumbent Janice O’Shea lost earlier this month in her party’s primary election to John Phelan.

O’Shea’s challenger is no newcomer to county government. Phelan was town of Coventry supervisor from 1990 to 1997 and served as chairman of the county’s Finance Committee from 1993 to 1995.

A third candidate, Independence Party member and political newcomer Larry G. Clark, threw his hat into the race in July.

Planning ahead, O’Shea sought out and received the endorsement of the Democratic Caucus in August, and has also decided to run on the ballot in November under an independent line titled, “For Coventry.” She is vice-chairman of the county’s Safety & Rules Committee and a member of Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds.

In the last hours of filing, Phelan also registered to run on the independent line, “Liberty.”