While the presidential race is top of mind for many Capital Region voters, several key races for the New York state legislature are also on Tuesday’s ballot.
Saratoga County had its early voting sites open an hour early over the weekend to accommodate an influx of residents eager to have their voices heard.
Democratic candidate Minita Sanghvi is vying for the 44th state Senate district seat, currently held by Republican Jim Tedisco. Tedisco had previously represented the state’s 49th district before redistricting in 2022. He was first elected to the state Assembly in 1982.
Sanghvi notes the promises she made when she first ran for Commissioner of Finance in Saratoga Springs in 2021. During her first term, she oversaw the funding for a third fire station and the Adelphi Street homeless shelter.
“I said, you know, we are going to get the third fire station done. We got it done. We got 16 new firefighters hired. We got a homeless shelter. We said, you know, this is an issue that Saratoga Springs is going through. We funded a homeless shelter. When we are looking at simple things that need to be done, the question is, is he (Tedisco) getting the job done at the end of the day,” said Sangvhi.
Tedisco did not respond to multiple requests for an interview with WAMC over several months before the election.
Republican Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh is seeking her fifth term in the 112th. She’s being challenged by Democratic activist Joe Seeman.
Seeman also attempted to unseat Walsh in 2020. Walsh won with 58% of the vote.
Republican Jeremy Messina is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner in the 113th District.
One focus of Messina’s campaign platform is supporting local businesses. A former small business owner himself, he hopes to provide small businesses with the help they need to stay up and running.
“You know, I put my focus on trying to remove some of that bureaucratic stuff and the red tape to help businesses get established in New York and get them up and running, because we need that we can't afford to keep losing, you know, businesses we can't afford. And when the businesses leave, you know what happens next, the people leave. And we just can't afford that, especially with how high the taxes are in our state. We have the highest tax burden state in the country. You know, it's not a good combination,” said Messina.
Woerner, in office for a decade, notes the issues she often hears from her constituents including access to healthcare. One legislative focus of hers is addressing the local housing crisis.
“The issues that my constituents are talking to me about at the door is not dissimilar to the issues that I hear when I go to pancake breakfasts or see people at the fairs. You know, it's about making sure that that young people have opportunities in this area, that they have the ability to settle here and build a life here. The lack of homeownership opportunities for young people, as well as downsized home ownership opportunities for older folks who are ready to get out of the big family house,” said Woerner.
Prop One, or the Equal Rights Amendment, is also on New York’s ballot. It would protect residents from discrimination based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy outcomes, and more.
Woerner supports the measure.
“This is simply about saying the government can't discriminate against you under any circumstances. And that that is of value,” said Woerner.
Republicans throughout the state oppose it, criticizing what they call vague wording and claiming it threatens women’s sports.
Messina opposes the measure.
“Again, as a father of two daughters, I believe this proposition would totally undermine the fairness and diminish scholarship opportunities for girls in athletics. You know, I'm totally committed to protecting Title Nine and the athletic scholarship opportunities that provide women, you know, these opportunities in college. I just can't be on board with supporting prop one, you know, I think I don't like the way the left seems to also be disguising what, you know, it is, like they're trying to call it the Equal Rights Act, you know, all this stuff, trying to say that abortion is going to be taken away through it. I just don't, I don't agree with that, and I think it's scare tactics,” said Messina.
Also on the ballot is the Saratoga County treasurer race pitting current Democratic Saratoga Springs supervisor Michele Madigan against Republican incumbent JoAnn Kupferman.
Longtime Democratic Congressman Paul Tonko is seeking re-election in the 20th district against Republican Kevin Waltz.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Tuesday.