FAQs

Note: This information comes from an interview with Steve Dewitt, democratic commissioner for the Board of Elections from Tompkins County and information from the  Board of Elections website. 

Question: On the Tompkins County ballot, four people are running unopposed: Anna Kelles for the New York state assembly, Matthew Van Houten for Tompkins County district attorney, Maura Kennedy-Smith for Tompkins County court judge and Rick Wallace for Ithaca City court judge. Why is this? 

Answer: Only one candidate for each of the roles filed a petition to run for office. In late February, there was a ballot access process where candidates who wished to run in their prospective political parties were required to get a certain amount of signatures to run in the primary. Across Tompkins County, a candidate needs 1,000 signatures to run in the Democratic Party, 506 signatures to run in the Republican Party, 17 signatures to run in the Working Families Party and 21 signatures to run in the Conservative Party. This means either candidates ran and did not get enough signatures or there was no competition for the incumbents

Question: Can one candidate on the ballot represent two parties? For example, why is Senator Lea Webb representing both the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party? 

Answer: New York is one of five states in the U.S. that allows a form of fusion voting on the ballot. Fusion voting is a process in which more than one political party can nominate the same candidate. According to proponents of the concept, fusion voting allows minor parties to have greater influence and gives minor party candidates a chance to receive multiple endorsements. 

Question: Why are there no local issues on the ballot for Ithaca voters? 

Answer: To get a measure on the ballot, a citizen of Tompkins County needs to first bring the measure to their local municipality. In this election, three propositions were put on the ballot only in the Town of Enfield and none were brought up in any other municipality. The three propositions plan to increase the terms of town supervisor, town clerk and highway supervisor from two years to four years.

Question: Are college students able to vote in Ithaca? 

Answer: As long as a student has lived in Tompkins County for 30 days, they can register to vote in Tompkins County. If a student does not have a New York State driver’s license, they will not be able to register to vote online. A student will have to print out a voter registration form and register with the last four digits of their social security number, then either bring the form to the Board of Elections office at 128 East Buffalo Street Ithaca, NY 14850 or mail it to the office. A student can also register in person at the Tompkins County Board of Elections office. To register to vote in New York or vote in their hometown  you must be over 18 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, live at your present address for over 30 days, and not be in prison for a felony conviction.