| Everyone's attention seems to be on Washington and (mournfully) Albany these days, but there's a lot going on at more local levels. Most counties and municipalities in New York hold their elections on odd-numbered years, when fewer people vote. (I think Broome County holds races on even-numbered years, a trend I'd definitely like to encourage.)
So what's going on at the county level? We've had a bit of news here, with Linda Underwood announcing her run for Rensselaer County Legislature, and had some Erie County reporting, though it looks like Kathy Konst took an appointed position this week.
Here in Tompkins County, it looks like the Republicans are having a hard time getting going this year, ensuring that Democrats will continue to have the majority on the County Legislature by not running nearly enough candidates: five candidates for 15 seats. (They currently hold four seats.) Democrats aren't running in three of those districts either, though, so we will only have two contested seats in November, both for seats currently held by Republicans.
I'll be working to elect Mike Lane here in Dryden. (You may remember him from my earlier posts on redistricting, where he pushed for an independent redistricting panel.) He's facing Dryden GOP chair and local conservative newspaper publisher Jim Crawford. Just to our west, Democrat Pat Pryor will be challenging incumbent (and county GOP chair) Mike Sigler in Lansing.
We also have one primary among Democrats this September, as Ithaca Town Board member (and State Democratic Committee Reform Caucus chair) Peter Stein takes on incumbent legislative Chair Mike Koplinka-Loehr. This possibility seems to me to have opened with a trainwreck of a leadership election in January.
Independent petitions may bring in more - we'll see!
What's happening in your county, city, or anyplace else that's having elections? |
