Ithaca Considering Changing Process for Filling Vacancies

By Matt Dougherty

The City Administration committee discussed the potential for approving the Elected Office Vacancy Reform Act, which would change the way the city of Ithaca fills vacancies for elected positions during their meeting that took place on February 22.

Currently the city’s process for filling vacancies involves conducting a series of interviews with the Mayor and two additional members of the Common Council. Following the interviews, the Mayor appoints a nominee and the Common Council can either approve or reject the nomination.

This process recently played out and resulted in the Common Council approving the appointment of Kris Haines-Sharp to fill the vacancy created by Mayor Laura Lewis vacating her position as fifth ward representative. Third ward Common Council member Jeffery Barken has announced he will resign in June, which will call for another vacancy-filling process.

According to 3rd Ward Alderperson and candidate for Mayor, Robert Cantelmo, the city is considering a “proposal to amend the city code to remove this method of filling vacancies through an appointment process and instead propose a special election that is similar to what our colleagues at the county do.”

Supporters of conducting a special election instead of appointing someone to fill a vacancy say that the process is more democratic. However, some say that isn’t always the case.

Tompkins County

Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Stephen Dewitt — who has worked on five special elections for Tompkins County — told the committee “On the surface having a special election to fill a vacancy sounds very good, but I’ve seen the process in five special elections for the county legislature and I don’t think it’s quite as transparent as people think.”

Regarding the idea of special elections Dewitt said “It’s a very short and immedi-