Voters head to the polls today to cast ballots in local elections across New York and Pennsylvania.
Polls are open until 9 p.m. in New York and 8 p.m. in Pennsylvania. Voters can find information on polling site locations and sample ballots at their county’s Board of Election website, the New York State Board of Elections website and the Pennsylvania Department of State's website.
New Yorkers will consider one statewide proposition: it asks voters to approve a measure to allow the state to continue to develop a winter sports complex on Forest Preserve land in the Adirondacks.
Most races across New York are local this year. Many local elections are uncontested in the Southern Tier, but some voters will cast ballots in competitive races.
Broome County
In Broome County, voters will select a new county clerk.
In January, current Broome County Clerk Joe Mihalko announced he would not seek reelection after 8 years in office. Now, Republican Aaron Martin is facing off against Democrat Nick Libous.
Voters in the city of Binghamton are choosing a mayor: Republican incumbent Mayor Jared Kraham is vying for the position alongside Democratic challenger Miles Burnett.
In Johnson City, voters will also select a mayor, choosing between incumbent Republican mayor Martin Meaney and Democrat Christina Charuk.
In Vestal, four candidates are running for two town board seats: Republicans Andy Gowe and William Stewart, as well as incumbent Democrat Suzanne Messina and Democrat Matt Padbury. Vestal residents will also have the chance to vote on a referendum that would correct an error in an earlier vote to officially change the position of tax collector to an appointed one.
Tompkins County
All of the seats on the Tompkins County Legislature and half of the assemblymember seats on the city of Ithaca’s Common Council are up for grabs this election season. However, a majority of those races are uncontested.
In Ithaca’s Ward 1 Democrat and former alderperson Jorge Defendini is facing off against Republican Zachary Winn. In Ward 5, Cornell student and Democratic nominee Hannah Shvets is running against psychotherapist G. P. Zurenda Jr., who is running on the independent “Affordable Ithaca” line. Shvets previously won the Democratic nomination against Zurenda by just 11 votes.
Only three of the 16 seats on the recently redrawn Tompkins County legislature are contested. In District 8, incumbent Republican Mike Sigler is running against Democratic nominee Jamie Perkins, former Deputy Mayor for the Village of Groton. Democrat Dan Wakeman and Thomas Corey, who is running on the independent "Bull Moose Party" line, are vying to represent the 10th District. Independent Michelle Wright, running on “The People First” line, is competing with Democrat Christine Bianconi to represent District 14.
Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben counties
Local elections in Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties show a number of races with challengers this year but the majority are unchallenged.
In the three counties combined, there are more than 200 races. Fewer than 40 of these races have challengers—that means 80 percent of local elected offices are non-competitive races this election cycle. And nearly a dozen races have zero candidates.
On the ballots this election are state supreme court justices, coroners, county legislators, a city court judge, town supervisors, town clerks, city and town council members, town justices, highway superintendents, tax collectors and town assessors.
In Chemung County, the town of Horseheads could see its youngest candidates become members of the town council with candidates Miriam Osorio and Sebastian Mathews. Both are running on the Democratic Party ticket.
Republican Chemung County Legislator Joseph Brennan is also running for a spot on the Horseheads Town Council as both a Republican and under the party moniker “No Fluoride.”
In Southport, two Democratic candidates are running to unseat incumbent Republicans on the town board.
Steuben County has two ballot measures for some voters.
The town of Dansville will decide to grant some first responders and their spouses a real property tax exemption.
Voters in the town of Pulteney will decide on an increase of more than $5,000 to the Pulteney Free Library operating budget.
More details on the breakdown of competitive races across the three counties can be found in earlier reporting.
