Why it is important to vote in the democratic primary

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are those of author Tracy Mitrano and are not representative of the thoughts or opinions of Tompkins Weekly.

Here are three critical reasons to vote in the June 24 primary this year.

1)      The primary will determine who is elected to the position when no one is running from another party.

2)      You want to participate in selecting the candidate from your party. Winners of the primary will run for office in the general election on November 4.

3)      There are primary elections in many districts: If you are a Democrat and live in City of Ithaca’s 1^st Ward,  3^rd Ward or 5^th Ward in Tompkins County Legislative District 3, Tompkins Legislative District 13 (Caroline/Danby), or a Democrat in the Town of Danby you are eligible to vote in the Democratic Primary.

Which is your election district?

Voters need to know in which district they live. The Tompkins County Redistricting Commission has completed its work and there will now be 16 County Legislative Districts rather than the fourteen that we currently have. To see a map of those districts, go to https://tcdata-tompkinscounty.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/576be8623d6e492ca3b4fc9c066f13a7_29/explore?location=42.440656%2C-76.466503%2C9.19

How primaries work

Candidates get their names on the ballot by carrying petitions, often with the help of friends and committee members for all parties and independent candidates.

In New York State only voters registered in political parties can vote in primary elections. In the areas listed in #3 above, primary elections in Tompkins County will determine who will represent you in a local election. Because they have no opponents incumbent Democratic County Legislators in Districts 1 (Travis Brooks), 2 (Veronica Pillar), 6 (Shawna Black), and 11 (Greg Mezey) as well as Republican County Legislators in District 9 (Lee Shurtleff) in District 10 and District 15 (Randy Brown).

Three new Democrats will be seated in districts where there are no opponents. There will be November races between Democrats and independents in six districts (Districts 4, 5, 6, 7, 12 and 16) and one race in District 8 between incumbent Republican and an independent candidate. Also, the Democratic primaries in Districts 3 and 13.  

Who will be on the Primary Ballot?

City of Ithaca, 1^st Ward: There is a Democratic Primary for Alderperson and three candidates running for the position: George Defendini, Leon Holden, and Alejandro Santana. The winner of the primary will face Zachary Winn, a Republican, in the general election.

City of Ithaca, 3rd Ward Democrats Iris Packman and Pierre Saint-Perez are running for the County Legislature District 3 seat.  The winner of the primary has no opponents currently and is the likely winner of the seat.

Democrats Pat Sewell and Billy Noseworthy are hoping to get the Democratic nomination for Alderperson in the 3^rd Ward. There is no Republican opponent so the primary winner will likely take this seat.

City of Ithaca, 5^th Ward (District 5):   The 3 Democratic candidates for Alderperson are Deborah A. Fisher, G.P. Zurenda Jr., and Hannah Shvets. Again, there are no Republican opponents, so the primary winner will likely take the seat.

Caroline/Danby, District 13:   There are 3 Democratic candidates running for the District 13 seat in the County Legislature: Irene Weiser, Kyle Emily Erickson, and Matt Sullivan. The winner of the primary has no opponents currently and is the likely winner of the seat.

Town of Danby:     There are 3 Democratic candidates for one Town Councilperson seat in Danby: Zachary Larkins, Mark Pruce, and James Tyler Stein. There are no Republican or independent opponents, so the primary winner will likely take the seat.

Town of Newfield:   There are 3 Republican candidates for Town Councilperson: Michael T. Corbett, Christine Marie Seamon, and Christopher M. Hyer, Jr. There are no Democratic opponents, so once again the primary winner will likely take the seat.

When is the Primary?    The primary election is Tuesday, June 24; however, you can vote from Saturday, June 14 through Sunday, June 22 at the Town of Ithaca Town Hall, which is the only early voting site in Tompkins County for the primary election. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily except for Tuesday, June 17, and Thursday, June 19, when the hours are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Please vote. This is both a right and a responsibility of citizenship. This is your opportunity to select the people who will represent you in your town and the County Legislature. Looking forward to seeing you at the polls. I’m voting early!

Jean McPheeters lives in the Town of Caroline and is a member of the Town of Caroline Democratic Committee.