Across the Southern Tier, many incumbents in state and local offices are running uncontested this year. However, there are some races that do have challengers.
Steuben County
In Steuben County, there are only a few state or local races with Democratic challengers. In some local races, incumbents are running unopposed, or a Republican and Conservative Party candidate are competing for the seat. There are three offices with no candidate listed on the ballot at all.
Margie Lawlor, the vice chair of the Steuben County Democratic Committee, said Democrats must have broad appeal to win in districts in Steuben County and there is a small pool of Democrats in the county.
There are twice as many active Republican voters as active Democratic voters in Steuben County. However, there are an additional 24% active, unaffiliated voters in the county.
“I’m working hard, and so is the rest of the committee, to continue building so that voters do have a choice,” said Lawlor. “That they can look at the ballot, and if they don't know the person, one on one, they don't know that person, they can at least say, ‘Well, if they're a Democrat, then I know they share my values.’"
Lawlor said more infrastructure help from the Democratic National Committee, such as funding and staffing resources, would make a big difference in helping to run and elect Democratic candidates in the area.
One of the local races to watch this year is for Steuben County and Family Court judge, a 10-year elected term.
Candidate Michaela Rossettie Azemi would be the first Democrat elected as judge in the county’s more than 200-year history. She would also be the second woman to ever hold the position.
Rossettie Azemi said many Republicans in the county support her campaign.
“I am regularly reaching across the aisle and thinking, how can I hopefully be in a position to serve on the bench to serve all of the people?” said Rossettie Azemi. “And this is not about democratic values. It's about integrity, impartiality and justice for all people.“
Rossettie Azemi is a practicing lawyer and worked on a tenant advocacy program and veterans’ legal assistance project at Cornell Law School until deciding to run for office. She stepped down from her position at the university to become a candidate.
Incumbent Republican Matthew McCarthy is the current Corning City Court judge and acting Steuben County and Family Court judge. McCarthy was elected to the Corning position 10 years ago and has also served as the acting Steuben County and Family Court judge during that same time period. He was appointed to the position by an administrative order issued yearly for the last decade.
“It's just that I thought that it was time for me to take the experience, the knowledge and the trust that I had acquired over the last 20-plus years and put it to use for the community in a different way,” said McCarthy.
McCarthy is not currently on the ballot for Corning City Court Judge and his term for that office expires this year.
Chemung, Schuyler counties
In Chemung County, there are more than ten local offices on the ballot across the county and only one Democratic candidate—Matthew Buzzetti for Family Court judge.
The town of Baldwin has an empty ballot for its town justice seat. There are contested seats in the towns of Horseheads and Southport where Republican and Conservative Party candidates are competing. The rest of the local offices are uncontested.
Schuyler County has no Democratic candidates on the ballot in its local elections and two council races have zero candidates listed on the ballot.
State Senate, Assembly seats
State senators and Assembly members are also up for reelection across Allegany, Steuben, Chemung and Schuyler counties. Three of those six races have a challenger.
Incumbent Republican state senators George Borello and Tom O’Mara are running unopposed in districts 57 and 58, respectively. Borrello was elected to the Senate seat in 2019, and O’Mara in 2010.
District 57 covers parts of Allegany County. District 58 covers Steuben, Schuyler and Chemung counties and parts of Allegany County.
Assembly District 132 is also uncontested, with Republican incumbent Phil Palmesano running unopposed.
In Assembly District124, Republican incumbent Christopher Friend is the only name listed on the ballot.
However, in an email to WSKG Miriam Osorio said that they are a write-in challenger for the district and has a campaign page on Facebook called “Miriam Osorio For New York 124th Assembly”. Osorio is not on the ballot because of a disqualification early in the campaign season due to insufficient ballot signatures according to the state board of elections.
Both Palmesano and Friend have been representing the area for 14 years.
District 132 covers Schuyler County and parts of Chemung and Steuben counties. District 124 covers Tioga County and parts of Tioga and Chemung counties.
In Assembly District 133, which includes parts of Steuben County, two new candidates are on the ballot: Republican Andrea Bailey and Democrat Colleen Walsh-Williams.
Assembly District 148, which includes Cattaraugus, Allegany and parts of Steuben County, also has two new names on the ballot.
Joseph Sempolinski, a Republican, and Daniel Brown, a Democrat, are vying for the seat, which is being vacated by outgoing Assemblyman Joseph Giglio. Giglio is retiring from public office in December.
Sempolinski was the congressman for the 23rd Congressional District for four months during a special election, after former Rep. Tom Reed resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations. Sempolinki was Reed’s district director at the time.
Most recently, Sempolinski was Assemblyman Giglio’s chief of staff until he entered the race to represent the district. He also chairs the Steuben County Republican Committee.
“My role would be continuing to do a good job for this district and pick up the baton from [Giglio] and take it forward,” Sempolinski said. “I have nothing but admiration and respect for the job that he's done over the last 19 years.”
Brown is a third-generation farmer and has been the town supervisor of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County for nearly 20 years. He ran for state Senate in 2022 and this very same Assembly seat back in 2012.
Brown said the difference between a Democrat and a Republican in the district is very small.
“The most glaring difference between me and the other person is I'm a pro-choice person,” Brown expressed. “I think that choice belongs to the woman and whoever she wants to include in that.”
Both candidates said they are concerned about bail reform and want to work in the Assembly to make changes to the law.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.