General Election highlights several local contests

This year’s General Election is an important one, as several key seats within Tioga County are being contested. 

In Nichols, N.Y., three residents are vying for two Councilman seats with William Woods, a democrat; Bill Middleton, a republican; and Rosann Cole, a democrat, in the running. Other outlying towns are not seeing any major contests.

In Owego there have been several polarizing contests brewing over the past year. One of them is the Town of Owego Highway Superintendent seat being vacated by Mark Clark. And although Michael Roberts is currently on the ballot as the sole republican in the running, an aggressive write-in campaign launched by Jason Weaver has received support, as well as endorsements.

In a recent announcement, the departing Highway Superintendent for the Town of Owego endorsed Weaver for the job.

“I believe Jason Weaver and his team are the right choice for the voters,” said Clark in a prepared statement, adding, “The Town’s infrastructure was a top priority of my department and will continue to be under Jason’s leadership.”

Earlier in the month, Highway Foreman Brian Harders also offered support, and asked voters to write-in “Jason Weaver” at the ballot box. And although write-in campaigns are often complicated, Weaver is giving it his best shot.

“I am honored to have Mark’s endorsement and look forward to continuing his efforts to take care of the Town’s 200 center lane miles of roads, subdivision drainage, and especially plowing in the winter months,” said Weaver, a Republican. 

In the meantime, however, Michael Roberts, a current County Legislator who edged ahead in the Primaries, has already announced his choice for Deputy, Henry ‘Hank’ Hines.

In a prepared statement, Roberts wrote, “He is a lifelong Owego resident and brings his vast knowledge of the Highway Department and will be instrumental in its transformation into a new direction.”

Roberts has served as a Tioga County Legislator for over 16 years.

Nancy Della Pia, a democrat, will be running against incumbent Dean Morgan, a republican, for a seat on Owego’s Town Council. Della Pia hopes to bring transparency and responsiveness to the Town Board, if elected, and talked about checks and balances and the need for oversight.

Morgan, a U.S. Veteran, VFW Post and Honor Guard Member and a Kiwanis Member, has served on the Town Board for years and stands behind the recent construction of a Town Services Building and other infrastructure projects that have been worked on.

Della Pia has criticized the Town Board’s spending, and hopes to reign in costs and offer more transparency.

Morgan sees the new shared services building as a way for the Town to consolidate things, and outlined the breakdown of costs for the $9.6 million project, with portions of the money coming from FEMA, New York State, and other revenue sources totaling approximately $5.5 million. Morgan’s opponent has criticized this spending.

Other contests include a run for the District 3 seat on the County Legislature, with Barbara Roberts, a republican who vacated her seat on the Town Board to run for the position, challenging Rich Purtell, a libertarian.

Rich Purtell, in a prepared statement talked about the handling of COVID-19 and vaccine mandates, as well as the fear mongering caused by the pandemic and the mental health issues caused by stress. Purtell feels the county should be focusing on mental health and drug and alcohol addictions, PTSD, and suicide. 

Irena Raia, a democrat, will be running against Ronald Ciotoli, a republican, for the District 1 seat on the County Legislature. Raia feels that residents can end single-party rule in Tioga County by voting her in.

“You can choose between more of the same,” said Raia, “or something different.”

Raia hopes to restore the community’s faith in down-ballot politics by modernizing the Legislature’s communication efforts to increase transparency and community participation in our civic process.

She also added, in a statement, that she looks forward to nurturing her existing rapport with the local police, and plans on expanding and supporting their efforts towards community centered policing. She noted that she would also advocate for the restoration of the county’s recycling program.

Voters will also find five propositions on the ballot, which Bernadette Toombs, from Tioga County’s Board of Elections, states are equally important.

Propositions include a vote to amend the Apportionment and Redistricting Process; the Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment; the Elimination of the Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement; authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting; and increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court.

The last day for Early Voting is Sunday, Oct. 31, and polls open at 6 a.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2, and close at 9 p.m. For more information on polling locations and for Sample Ballots, visit www.tiogacountyny.com/departments/board-of-elections/.