Early voting for the general election in Cortland County begins 9 a.m. today at the Cortland County Board of Elections Office, 112 River St., Cortland.
Voting continues until 5 p.m. Saturday and resumes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Nov. 3 to 5. Early voting will be noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Nov. 2.
Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. across the county on election day, Nov. 7. To find your polling place, go to: voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/.
County redistricting referendum on the ballot
Cortland County voters will decide at the polls whether to reduce the size of the Cortland County Legislature to 15 from 17 seats, as it considers a mandatory redistricting to take effect with the 2027 election.
•Partner Scott and Preble, with part of northern Homer.
•Partner Marathon with Lapeer, with a sliver of eastern Virgil.
•Partners the rest of Virgil with Harford.
•Clusters Solon, Truxton and Cuyler in a district with a fringe of eastern Homer.
•Creates a single district in the village of Homer, surrounded by a district that includes western Homer and part of north central Cortlandville.
•Divides Cortlandville among four districts, up from three. The fourth district extends southwest from the city of Cortland.
•Divides the city of Cortland between six districts, down from seven.
Redistricting is required by the U.S. Constitution every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, to allow equitable representation in county government. The next census will take place in 2030, after which the district map will be redrawn again.
-- Margaret Mellott
C-ville voters face judge referendum
Cortlandville voters will decide Nov. 7 whether to reduce the number of town justices to one part-time position, rather than two.
However, even if they vote to eliminate the position, a lawsuit may negate the vote that put it on the ballot.
Justice MaryBeth Mathey has filed an Article 78 proceeding in state Supreme Court, alleging the Cortlandville Town Board met in violation of state Open Meetings law to discuss whether to put the measure to eliminate her job on the ballot.
If her suit fails, the decision at the polls would stand. If it succeeds, it would nullify the town board’s vote, and thereby the election.
Town officials have said the referendum is a cost-cutting measure. Mathey says the move is retaliation for her refusal to allow Town Attorney John DelVecchio to evict tenants from rental properties during a state-imposed moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
State, Virgil, Cincy have referendums
Cortland County voters face a number of propositions on their ballots:
All voters will see two statewide referendums:
•To amend Article 8, Section 4 of the state constituion to remove a constitutional debt limit now placed on small-city school districts, like Cortland’s, so they’ll be treated like other districts.
• To amend Article 8, Section 5 of the state constitution to extend to 10 years the exclusion for municipalities from constitutional debt limits for sewage facilities.
Cincinnatus voters have two more propositions, extending the terms of office for the town supervisor and the town clerk to four years from two years.
Virgil voters have a proposition asking whether the town can allowed charitable organizations to operate raffles and other games of chance as fundraisers.
Contested Cayuga County races
Cayuga County voters face contested seats for county office on Nov. 7:
• Kristine A. Lytle, nominated by the Conservative and Experience Matters parties, faces Republican Christopher K. Petrus and Democrat and Cayuga County United nominee Brian Scanlon for county clerk. The winner would succeed Cayuga County Clerk Sue Dwyer.
• Incumbent Legislator Hans-Peter Pecher, the Republican and Conservative nominee, faces Kevin Fitzgerald, nominated by the Democratic and Cayuga County United parties, in the 6th Legislative District.
— Lily Byrne
