PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – Voters in New York are hitting the polls Tuesday for the Empire State’s primary election. In the North Country, the race for Plattsburgh mayor is the focus.
Democrats Wendell Hughes and Dan Lennon are vying for the open seat left by Chris Rosenquest, who decided to run for the Ward 3 Common Council seat occupied by his long-time nemesis Councilor Elizabeth Gibbs.
State Senator Dan Stec, R-Queenbury, and Assemblymen Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, and Matthew Simpson, R/C-Lake George, are all running unopposed.
Voters we spoke with off say they are looking for candidates that are fiscally responsible and focus on recreation and the growing homelessness issue in the Lake City.
Clinton County Board of Elections officials say voter turnout was around 16 percent as of late Tuesday afternoon — that’s 760 eligible Democrats who have voted out of 4,613 on the roles — which is about what they expected for the primary.
“We wish it would be much higher because it is just as important to vote in a primary as it is in the general because it sets up who you want to be your candidate, for, you know, the big race in November,” said Clinton County Democratic Election Commissioner Mary Dyer.
Polls are open until 9 p.m. The results should be available by 10 p.m.