This year's village election was locked up by the two political parties during their caucuses Tuesday night.

The Democrats and Republicans decided to cross endorse candidates from the two parties resulting in a ballot that bears only the names of the incumbents and avoids a challenge from a newcomer on a party ticket.

Unless a challenger is put on the ballot through the independent nominating petition process, voters will have little choice but to return to office trustees Stuart Taugher, a Democrat, and Republicans Glenn Hubbell for trustee and Carol Waller for mayor.

The 20-minute Democratic caucus was held first and Taugher, the senior member of the board of trustees, told the nine party faithful in attendance that he had been in discussions with Republicans about the structure of the board and the possibility of cross endorsing candidates.

The current board, he related, had been working well together and accomplished a great deal, but there were still pressing issues to address. The experience Taugher and Hubbell have in the position would be invaluable to the board and mayor if progress was to continue.

"There are so many things pending. This is not the time to put someone in there just to put them in there," said Democrat June Christman, who is member of the village zoning board of appeals.

Democratic trustee Madalyn Cimino questioned the idea of endorsing the Republican candidates.

"To me it's more of a nomination than an election," she said.

Caucus chairman Steve Raabe asked if there were other potential candidates for the second three-year trustee term, but no names were offered in nomination.

The Democrats voted to endorse Taugher and Republican Hubbell for the two trustee positions and Republican mayor Carol Waller for another two-year term.

The Republican caucus, held half an hour later with eight party members present, began by endorsing Hubbell.

"He has done such a splendid job. I would like to nominate him for another term," said trustee Lee Malone.

"He has made my job easier," added Waller.

Following Hubbell's nomination, caucus chairman Bill Waller explained that there were three options. They could cross endorse Taugher, leave the line blank, or place someone else's name in nomination.

He cautioned that nominating a third candidate could jeopardize Hubbell's chances for election because the winners are the two highest vote getters in the field.

Bill Waller recommended not nominating a candidate for the second term, but received no support. Instead Malone proposed cross endorsing Taugher.

There are pros and cons, Bill Waller said. "There would be two experienced people on the ballot and we would not have to run a campaign for trustee," he said.

Former Republican mayor Wendell Tripp questioned the cross endorsement saying it appeared to him to be a case of "quid pro quo."

"It has to do with a choice for the people of Cooperstown," Tripp said, adding that he always regretted it when he ran unopposed for mayor.

There was discussion about nominating other candidates, but the party had found no one interested in running.

"This is one of those years," Malone said. "Both parties seem to not have anyone come forward."

She added that trustee positions required a substantial commitment of time, particularly in recent years following the decision to do away with the village administrator position.

Bill Waller said that if the Republicans endorse Taugher it becomes more of an appointment than an election, but that it was not an effort to exclude anyone.

Republicans approved the cross endorsement of Taugher with Tripp casting the only dissenting vote.

The party also gave the nod to Waller to run for a second term as mayor.

The election will be held March 16.