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It's March 2, which means petitioning begins today!  Petitioning is the process whereby candidates collect signatures from registered voters in their district. When enough signatures are collected, the candidate turns them in to the Board of Elections so that her name can appear on the ballot. This year, because of the Covid pandemic, the State government reduced the number of signatures needed for the various districts. Additionally, they shortened the length of time folks can petition. Four years ago, I think I collected about 200 signatures. This year I'll need only 25. Though I will collect at least three times that, just in case of errors. And I'll be turning them in to the BOE by March 22nd.  As I petition, I'm following strict social distancing guidelines, staying six feet apart and wearing a mask. I've also bought special pens to hand out to each voter. A memento to remind them to vote in November!
Though this year's petitioning will be different and more challenging- thanks to Covid and March freezing temperatures- I generally enjoy the process. It's a chance to reconnect with neighbors, check in with folks I rarely hear from, and remind people to participate in Democracy. I look forward to seeing some of you in my travels through District 12.
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 The Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee held a candidate forum on February 11. I have served on this committee for the past four years, and thus know most of the members. But I was glad to have to opportunity to speak a little bit about my Legislative work and convince the committee why they should support my run for office again.
I'm grateful for all those who put in so much time to make sure Tompkins County and the Town of Ithaca have strong Democrats to run and hold office here. And I'm grateful that they again decided to endorse me. Thank you! I'm delighted to announce that I have earned the Working Families Party endorsement for my 2021 race! I shared my policy beliefs and goals via a long application and interview process with WFP members (on Zoom). I'm honored to be endorsed again. Ithaca Times published an article today about my endorsement along with five other candidates for the Legislature. Check it out!  "The most important part of being on the County Legislature for me is listening to people and guiding them to the information and help they need. Particularly during this difficult period of the global pandemic, I’m grateful to have been in a position to help others,” said Champion (District 12). I'm honored to have the endorsement of the Working Families Party, which is such a vital part of the political landscape and will help me continue to do this work."
When my five colleagues' and my press release went out last week, a few news outlets picked it up, such as WHCU. Additionally, we each talked with Matt Butler at the Ithaca Voice to answer some questions and talk about our priorities for the coming year and our campaigns. Read the full article HERE. "Amanda Champion - District 12 Champion said she believes her most significant work she has done during her time on the legislature has been environmentally related: an approved policy that stops the county from using "disposable/single-use plastic and Styrofoam items like water bottles, dishes and utensils" for county operations. That comes with her additional focus on the aforementioned labor seat on the IDA and pushing for funding of the Community Outreach Worker program, which was almost cut by the coutny this,[sic] Champion noted the difficulty that the vaccine rollout could pose, especially in light of the relationship necessary between state and local officials—one that has already proven rocky at times. "Because the state process of distribution is changing every day, county government must work closely with the state as it rolls out the vaccine," she said. "We must continue to provide COVID tests to everyone who wants one, and make sure everyone is vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. I see my role as a conduit between county operations and the needs of the public. This is such a challenging time for so many, and my goal is to help the people of Tompkins County."   For Immediate Release:
Six members of the Tompkins County Legislature announce they are running for reelection in 2021. Five of the six are completing their first term on the Legislature this year, with Dan Klein completing his second term. Terms run four years, and all 14 Legislature seats are up for election this year. The New York State designating petition period begins February 23rd, with the primary election on June 22nd, and the general election on November 2nd. Shawna Black (D- District 11, Town of Ithaca) says “I have enjoyed my time serving on the Legislature and have learned the intricacies of how County government operates. As we embark on uncertain times – I look forward to working hard to advocate for the residents in Tompkins County.” Elected as Vice Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature for three terms from 2019 to 2021, Black has provided leadership and bi-partisan collaboration amongst her colleagues. As Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee for the last three years, Black has focused efforts on homelessness solutions in Tompkins County, mental health awareness, and recently, Covid-19 support. Contact: https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaBlack4TompkinsCounty, www.ShawnaBlack.com, or ShawnaMBlack@gmail.com Amanda Champion (D- District 12, Town of Ithaca) has advocated for environmental protections, health and human services, and transparent government during her time on the Legislature. She has served on the Government Operations Committee (Chair), Planning, Energy, and Environmental Quality Committee, Budget, Capital, and Personnel Committee, Health and Human Services Committee, and the Complete Count Census Committee (Vice Chair). Additionally, Champion has served as liaison to a variety of agencies including Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County Public Library, and Water Resources Council. Champion says, “The most important part of this work for me is listening to people and guiding them to the information or help they need. Particularly during this difficult period of the global pandemic, I’m grateful to have been in a position to help others, and hope my neighbors and fellow District 12 residents will see me fit to continue as their representative.” Contact: www.amandachampion.com or www.facebook.com/amandachampiondistrict12 Deborah Dawson (D- District 10, Villages of Lansing and Cayuga Heights and a portion of the Town of Ithaca) has served on committees including Budget, Capital, and Personnel, Government Operations, Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development, and Planning, Energy, and Environmental Quality (Chair), and as a director of the County’s Soil and Water Conservation District and of Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit. She is the Legislature’s liaison to the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization and to the Climate and Sustainable Energy Advisory Board. Her primary interests have been in the environment, climate change, and energy policy. Dawson says she is running for reelection “to focus on the two overwhelming challenges that now confront Tompkins County: the fiscal aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the efficient transition to sustainable energy we will need to mitigate the impacts of climate change.” Contact: www.deborah-dawson.com, www.facebook.com/DeborahDawsonForTCLeg, or ithacadeborah@yahoo.com. Henry Granison (D- District 3, City of Ithaca) is finishing his first term on the Tompkins County Legislature. Granison currently serves on the following committees: Public Safety, Government Operations (Vice Chair), Housing and Economic Development, and Workforce Diversity and Inclusion (Vice Chair). He is also the Legislature’s liaison to the Advisory Board on Indigent Representation, the Criminal Justice Advisory/Alternatives to Incarceration Board, the Emergency Response and Oversight Committee, the Public Information Advisory Board, the Recreation Partnership, the Strategic Tourism Planning Board, and the Alcohol Drug Council. He was also appointed to the Reimaging Public Safety Working Group. Granison focuses on issues involving Public Safety, Diversity, and Economic Development. Contact: www.Henrygranison.com, henrygranison@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/TompkinsCountyLegislatorHenryGranison, or 607-342-3741. Dan Klein (D- District 7, Towns of Caroline and Danby and a portion of the Town of Ithaca) is in his second term on the Tompkins County Legislature. Before that, he served for six years on the Danby Town Board. Klein is the Legislative Liaison to the County Office for the Aging Advisory Board, Lifelong, and the Environmental Management Council. Klein is Chair of the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) Board of Directors and the President of the Greensprings Natural Cemetery Board of Trustees. His emphasis is on environmental and good government issues. Contact: electdanklein.org Anne Koreman (D-, District 5, Town of Ulysses and a portion of the Towns of Ithaca and Enfield) is running for a second term to continue her service to the people of Tompkins County. Koreman says, “We need to take the important lessons we have learned mitigating the effects of Covid-19 locally and apply those same types of efforts towards justice & equity, the environment, and labor issues.” During Koreman’s first term she served as Chair of the Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Vice Chair of Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, and in 2020 was a member of the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency where she chaired a committee to research adding a local labor requirement to projects which receive tax abatements. Other committees she has worked on include Housing and Economic Development, Downtown Facilities, and Planning, Development, & Environmental Quality. She has also served as a liaison to the County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. Contact: ak@anne4tompkins.com, www.anne4tompkins.com, https://www.facebook.com/Anne4Tompkins, or 607-592-2886 |