[JK: Correction. I spoke to Cassie Bagamian, the Saratoga County Democratic Election Commissioner. Cassie asked me to correct the blog. She indicated that she opposed certifying the ballot for the commissioner of public works election not because there was no Democrat on the ballot but because “there needs to be equal access opportunities for all parties.”]
On Friday, December 6, 2024, the Saratoga County Board of Elections (SCBOE) failed to certify the ballot for the January 28, 2025, special election established by the Saratoga Springs City Council to fill the vacancy created when then Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub resigned last August. Today, Monday, December 9, Chris Obstarczyk, representing Saratoga Springs Republican Chair Mike Brandi, has brought an Article 78 action in Saratoga County Supreme Court to compel the County to proceed with certifying the ballot and to proceed with the election.
New York State Election law requires the Board of Elections to finalize the candidates and prepare the ballot 53 days before an election. That deadline was December 6.
“The Board of Elections cannot simply ignore deadlines set by the legislature,” Obstarczyk said in a press release.
In earlier posts, I reported that Cassy Bagramian, the Democratic Commissioner of Elections, had announced she would not allow the special election to proceed because no Democrat would be on the ballot. “There needs to be equal ballot access opportunities for all parties.“
Unfortunately, for Commissioner Bagramian, there is no statute requiring that a Democrat be on the ballot, and the Democratic City Committee failed to submit the required documents to get a candidate on the ballot.
Lest there be any confusion, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution requiring a special election be held on January 28, 2025. Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran, a Democrat, sponsored the resolution. Here is the resolution.
What Happens Next
Because the legal action concerns an election, the court is required to rule expeditiously. We will know the results soon.
Saratoga Springs Politics 