KEY POINTS
- The official voter turnout percentage in Tompkins County, as reported by the Tompkins County Board of Elections, was 63.11 percent. Polls were open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. last night.
- Nationally, voter turnout was higher this year among democrats compared to recent years. ABC News reported that Democrats accounted for 38 percent of voters, Republicans for 32 percent and Independents for 30 percent. In terms of sex, women made up 52 percent of voters in preliminary results.
- Democrats won the U.S. House majority, ending eight years of Republican control. However, the GOP held on to its majority in the U.S. Senate. The change in House control could lead to future battles with President Trump.
Nearly 20 Ithaca Week reporters spoke with voters and poll workers at polling stations across Tompkins County. They live blogged their experiences along the way.
At the Tompkins County Library polling site, reporters spoke with a former Ithaca mayoral candidate, who served as the manager of the poll site on Election Day. At the Varna Community Center in Dryden, reporters spoke with a first-time voter who recently became a U.S. citizen. Some reporters saw first-hand how affidavit ballots can allow for flexible voting if registration information was not received in time for the election. In general, many of the polling locations had higher than normal turnout for a midterm election.
Below are the results of the key New York State and Tompkins County races:
NEW YORK STATE
Governor/Lieutenant Governor (4-Year Term)
Andrew Cuomo/Kathy Hochul (D, WF, I, WEP) – 57.90%
Marc Molinaro/Julie Killian (R, C, REF) – 36.07%
Howie Hawkins/Jia Lee (G) – 1.65%
Larry Sharpe/Andrew Hollister (LIB) – 1.57%
Stephanie Miner/Michael Volpe (SAM) – 0.89%
Attorney General (4-Year Term)
Letitia James (D, WF, I) – 59.65%
Keith Wofford (R, C) – 34.36%
Michael Sussman (G )- 1.16%
Christopher Garvey (LIB) – 0.71%
Nancy Silwa (REF) – 0.43%
Comptroller (4-Year Term)
Thomas DiNapoli (D, WF, I, WEP, REF) – 64.37%
Jonathan Trichter (R, C) – 30.67%
Mark Dunlea (G) – 1.10%
Cruger Galludet (LIB) – 0.56%
U.S. SENATE
Senator (6-Year Term)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D, WF, I, WEP) – 64.45%
Chele Farley (R, C, REF) – 32.51%
U.S. HOUSE
District 23 (Includes all of Tompkins County)
Thomas W. Reed II (R, C, I), Incumbent – 53.78%
Tracy Mitrano (D, WF, WEP) – 43.99 %
STATE SENATE
District 51 (Includes the Towns of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, and Groton)
2-Year Term
James Seward (R, C, I, REF), Incumbent – 62.42%
Joyce St. George (D, WEP) – 34.49%
District 54 (Includes the Town of Lansing)
2-Year Term
Pamela Helming (R, C, I, REF), Incumbent – 60.13%
Kenan Baldridge (D, WF, WEP) – 36.30%
District 58 (Includes the City of Ithaca plus the Towns of Enfield, Ithaca, Newfield, and Ulysees)
2-Year Term
Thomas O’Mara (R, C, I, REF), Incumbent – 57.97%
Amanda Kirchgessner (D, WF) – 38.18%
STATE ASSEMBLY
District 125 (Includes all of Tompkins County, plus parts of Cortland County)
2-Year Term
Barbara Lifton (D), Incumbent – 73.84%
STATE SUPREME COURT
Sixth Judicial District (Includes all of Tompkins County)
14-Year Term
Joe McBride (R) – 47.82 %
Elizabeth Burns (D) – 45.82%
TOMPKINS COUNTY
County Clerk (4-Year Term)
Maureen Reynolds (D, R), Incumbent – 99.76%
County Sheriff (4-Year Term)
Derek Osborne (D) – 67.65%
Ken Lansing (I), Incumbent – 27.04%
Josh Brokaw (TRU) – 5.18%
TOWN OF CAROLINE
Council member (1-Year Term to fill Vacancy)
Timothy Murray (D) – 98.21%
TOWN OF DANBY
Town Proposition Number One
Shall there be approved and adopted in the Town of Danby, a Local Law entitled “Changing from an Elected Town Highway Superintendent to an Appointed Town Highway Superintendent” as approved by the Town Board of the Town of Danby, to change the Town Highway Superintendent from an elected position to a position appointed by the Town, effective January 1, 2020?
No – 53.10%
Yes – 46.90%
TOWN OF DRYDEN
Council member (1-Year Term to fill Vacancy)
Alice Green (D, PD) – 99.21%
Town Justice (4-Year Term)
Jules Ravo (D, PD) – 99.38%
TOWN OF GROTON
Town Justice (4-Year Term)
John Norman (R) – 98.61%
CITY OF ITHACA
City Court Judge (10-year Term)
Scott Miller (D) – 99.51%
TOWN OF LANSING
Town Justice (4-Year Term)
Maura Kennedy-Smith (D, LL) – 70.73%
Dick Costello (R, I) – 29.22%
TOWN OF NEWFIELD
Town Justice (4-Year Term)
William Chernish (R) – 97.17%
