Uncontested races dominate this year’s local elections

Tioga County residents will not have many difficult decisions to make when they hit the polls on Nov. 7, as most races will be uncontested.

In fact, every town election in the county features local candidates running unopposed — the only contested race being the State Supreme Court Justice race for the Sixth District — which is between Democrat Deidre Hay and Republican Cheryl Insinga.

Voters will also decide on two yes-or-no constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot on Nov. 7, which are as follows:

Removal of small city school districts from special constitutional debt limitation. The proposed amendment removes the special constitutional debt limitation now placed on small city school districts, so they will be treated the same as all other school districts.

Extending sewage project debt exclusion from debt limit. The proposed amendment extends for 10 years the authority of counties, cities, towns and villages to remove from their constitutional debt limits debt for the construction of sewage facilities.

In the county races, incumbent Sheriff Gary Howard is running unopposed, as is Andrea Klett for county clerk, and Robert Williams and Ryan Kline for the two coroner spots.

In the Town of Barton, Town Clerk Arrah Richards-McCarty, Highway Superintendent Frederick Schweiger Jr., and council members Jeffrey Coleman and David Shipman are all running unopposed to retain their respective seats, as are Nichols Towns Supervisor Esther Woods, Town Clerk Marcy Hill, Justice Sandra Lute, council members Jonathan Ladd Yost and Brenda Fay-Pelotte, and Highway Superintendent Ray Thetga Jr. It is noted, however, that Will Heveland has thrown his hat in the ring and will be running for Highway Superintendent as a write-in candidate.

In Candor, William Strosahl Jr. and Carol Irizarry are running uncontested for town supervisor and town clerk, respectively, while William Leonard Jr. and Ed Evans are unopposed in the two races for council. Likewise, Corey Whatley is unopposed in the highway superintendent race.

Spencer’s town races feature more unopposed contests, as Allen Fulkerson is the lone candidate for supervisor, Bret Smith is the only person on the ballot for highway superintendent, and Raymond Bunce and Ronald Koski Jr. are each seeking one of the two council seats.

In Tioga, Michele Bogart is the lone candidate for town justice, while Lewis Zorn is unopposed for supervisor. Additionally, Tiffany Middendorf is unopposed in the town clerk race, as is Russell Story for highway superintendent.

In Berkshire, Barbara Gehm-Jordan is running for Supervisor, Annette Thayer Town Clerk, Roger Howland and John Stoughton are running uncontested for two council seats, and Savannah Howland Kromer is on the ballot for a two-year unexpired council term. All candidates are running uncontested.

In the Town of Newark Valley, Lora Corson is on the ballot for Town Clerk, and Warren Smith and Brett Walter are running uncontested for two council seats.

In the Town of Owego, Patrick Hogan and Joy Bennett are uncontested for Town Justice; likewise, Gary Hellmers and Jonathan Marks are also uncontested on the ballot for Council seats.

In the Town of Richford, all uncontested, Charles E. Davis is on the ballot for the Supervisor seat, Velvet Lyke for Town Clerk, and Cynthia Herrick and Roberta Holcomb are also running uncontested for two council seats

Polling locations in Tioga County are as follows: 

•  Town of Barton Districts 1, 2 and 3 — Waverly Village Hall, 32 Ithaca St., Waverly.
•  Town of Barton District 5 — Lockwood Volunteer Fire Company, 34 Main St., Lockwood
•  Town of Barton Districts 4 and 7 — Barton Town Hall, 304 State Route 17C, Waverly
•  Town of Berkshire District 1 and 2 – Berkshire Town Hall, 18 Railroad Ave., Berkshire
•  Town of Candor Districts 1 and 3 — Candor Fire Station, 74 Owego Rd., Candor
•  Town of Candor District 2 — Weltonville Fire Company, 3232 W. Creek Rd., Newark Valley
•  Town of Newark Valley Districts 1 and 2 – Newark Valley Fire Department, 7151 State Route 38, Newark Valley
•  Town of Nichols — Nichols United Methodist Church, 59 S. Main St., Nichols
•  Town of Owego Districts 1, 2 and 3 – Campville Fire Station, 6153 State Route 17C, Endicott
•  Town of Owego District 4 – Living Water Baptist Church, 1405 Taylor Rd., Owego
•  Town of Owego Districts 5, 6 and 7 – Owego United Methodist Church, 261 Main St., Owego
•  Town of Owego Districts 8, 11 and 14 – Owego Shared Services Building, 2272 State Route 434, Apalachin
•  Town of Owego Districts 12, 13 and 19 – Apalachin United Methodist Church, 303 Pennsylvania Ave., Apalachin
•  Town of Owego Districts 15 and 17 – Park Terrace United Methodist Church, 30 Glann Rd., Apalachin
•  Town of Richford District 1 – Richford Town Hall, 1 Bowery Lane, Richford
•  Town of Spencer — Spencer Town Hall, 79 E. Tioga St., Spencer
•  Town of Tioga District 1 — Loyal Order of Moose #1595, 3 Goodrich Rd., Owego
•  Town of Tioga District 2 — Tioga Town Hall, 54 Fifth Ave., Barton.

The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the Tioga County Board of Elections website at www.tiogacountyny.com/departments/board-of-elections/.

(Wendy Post contributed to this report)