Saratogians are probably focused on November 5th, but they may be heading back to the polls in late January after a new wrinkle Tuesday.
It all started when Commissioner Jason Golub left his post in August for a new governor-appointed role at the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The remaining four city councilors have since been deadlocked about replacing the post.
Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran and Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi, both Democrats, have been calling to establish a special election to fill the empty seat, as per the city charter.
Republican Mayor John Safford and Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll, who won his seat with GOP backing, questioned the legality of holding an election on a shortened timeline, and whether state election laws trump the city charter. They want to appoint a committee to select an interim councilor, but the Democrats have refused to move forward without a set election date.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Safford presented a resolution in support of an election and signaled his intention to cement a date.
“Per the charter, the Commissioner of Accounts will take on this responsibility for implementing the election and this resolution will provide him with the broadest authority to proceed including the selection of a date. We want an election that is lawful and gives adequate notice to all electors,” said Safford.
Moran wasn’t buying it.
“Yeah, I’m definitely not voting for this,” said Moran.
Moran called the resolution redundant.
“The only thing I read in that is ‘Dillon’s the one who gets sued,’ so, I see myself getting kicked out on the plank and that’s why I’m not in favor of this. I’ve been in favor of us having an election since we knew Jason was leaving in July,” said Moran.
Safford said he’s just ready to move ahead.
“The only purpose of this, I’ve already told you that I’m going to vote for yours, because we want to move forward. This was just a way to put into writing the fact that I am totally in favor of moving forward with this election,” said Safford.
“Now that it suits your purposes,” said Moran.
The next item on the mayor’s agenda would move the council toward establishing a four-person appointment council. Sanghvi was not ready to move forward.
“I feel like creating a situation where everybody is asked the same question, where it’s an open and fair process makes sense. But I’m not ready to vote on a committee until I have a date from the board of elections that’s confirmed. So, it’s not that I’m against a committee, I’m for a committee. But, like I said from the get-go, we need to have a date, and end date for the position, and once we have that in place, I’m willing to vote on the committee,” said Sanghvi.
The council unanimously approved Moran’s resolution setting a special election for January 28th. The County Board of Elections now must approve the election date and timeline.