Items tagged with 'Albany mayoral race 2017'

A breakdown of the voting in the Albany Democratic mayoral primary, up close

albany democratic mayoral primary 2017 election district map clip

The Albany mayoral primary, one more time: Here's an up-close geographic breakdown of the voting in the Albany Democratic primary, which was won by Kathy Sheehan. As you know, it is the de facto election for the office because of the large Democratic enrollment in the city.

Above is a clip from a map of individual election districts and unofficial vote counts (that now include absentee ballots).

Are there clickable maps? You know there are clickable maps.

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Albany's mayor gets selected by just a small slice of the city's population

albany mayoral primary 2017 voter participation chart publish

Here's another bit from last week's Albany Democratic mayoral primary: Just about 15 percent of the city's voting-age population cast a vote in the primary.

That's remarkable not only because it's relatively so few people overall, but also because the primary is the de facto election for mayor (and other city offices) because of the overwhelming enrollment advantage Democrats have in the city.

The numbers are below, but we put together the graphic above as a quick illustration. The biggest square represents the entire adult population of the city of Albany. Each successive square represents the percentage of that population in each category -- all the way down to the number of people who voted in Tuesday's mayoral primary.

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Quick-scan primary election results 2017: Sheehan wins Albany Democratic mayoral primary

campaign yard signs Hackett Boulevard

Here's a quick scan of results from the primary elections Tuesday. This is not a comprehensive list, just some highlights. Numbers are unofficial, and there are bound to be some changes on Wednesday and beyond as absentee ballots are counted.

The big news in Albany on the night was that Kathy Sheehan won the Democratic primary for mayor. Barring something very unusual happening, she's now in line to be re-elected to a second term in November.

On with the results...

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Skimming the last poll in the Democratic primary for Albany mayor

Albany mayoral 2017 Democratic candidates

We don't want to make too much out of the Spectrum/Siena poll of the Albany mayoral race that was released Sunday because 1) the primary vote is Tuesday and we'll know who actually won then and 2) it's largely the same as the poll that was out almost a month ago.

But looking at the results, the thing that struck us was the sense that people have pretty much had their minds made up for a while now -- even with the 500some* debate and candidate events since the last poll.

Also: Whatever the poll results indicate, however wide the apparent margins might be, SHOW UP AND VOTE ON TUESDAY.

Local elections don't draw huge numbers of people, which means the votes of a few hundred (or fewer) people can make a big difference. This can be especially true in an election on the level of a Common Council seat in which a handful of votes could determine the outcome.

Polls are open from noon-9 pm. Don't know where to vote? Check with the state Board of Elections website.

Anyway, here are a few bits...

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Albany mayor 2017: Kathy Sheehan

Kathy Sheehan mayoral announcement 2017

Kathy Sheehan had her re-election campaign announcement in April.

Updated with text clips for skimming.

Next Tuesday, September 12, is primary day. And it will be a big day in the city of Albany because the Democratic primary will almost certainly select the person who will be mayor for the next four years.

This week we're talking with the three Democratic candidates: incumbent mayor Kathy Sheehan, and challengers Carolyn McLaughlin and Frank Commisso Jr.

And we're posting audio of the conversations so you can listen when you like -- either streamed here at AOA, or downloaded to your phone or mobile device. We'll also be pulling a handful of text clips from the conversations if you'd rather skim and read.

Next up: Kathy Sheehan, who's running for a second term. We talked with her at her campaign office on Madison Ave Friday afternoon.

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Albany mayor 2017: Frank Commisso Jr

Frank Commisso Jr press conference 2017-07-12

Frank Commisso Jr at a press conference this past July.

Next Tuesday, September 12, is primary day. And it will be a big day in the city of Albany because the Democratic primary will almost certainly select the person who will be mayor for the next four years.

This week we're talking with the three Democratic candidates: incumbent mayor Kathy Sheehan, and challengers Carolyn McLaughlin and Frank Commisso Jr.

And we're posting audio of the conversations so you can listen when you like -- either streamed here at AOA, or downloaded to your phone or mobile device. We'll also be pulling a handful of text clips from the conversations if you'd rather skim and read.

Next up: Frank Commisso Jr., who's currently a Common Council member representing the 15th ward.

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Albany mayor 2017: Carolyn McLaughlin

Carolyn McLaughlin Albany mayoral race announce

Carolyn McLaughlin at her mayoral campaign announcement in January.

Next Tuesday, September 12, is primary day. And it will be a big day in the city of Albany because the Democratic primary will almost certainly select the person who will be mayor for the next four years.

This week we're talking with the three Democratic candidates: incumbent mayor Kathy Sheehan, and challengers Carolyn McLaughlin and Frank Commisso Jr.

And we're posting audio of the conversations so you can listen when you like -- either streamed here at AOA, or downloaded to your phone or mobile device. We'll also be pulling a handful of text clips from the conversations if you'd rather skim and read.

First up: Carolyn McLaughlin, who's currently the Albany Common Council president. We talked with her in her campaign offices on South Pearl Street.

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Picking through the new Siena poll about the Albany mayoral election + a schedule of debates and candidate forums

Albany mayoral 2017 Democratic candidates

We're just about a month away from the Democratic primary in the Albany mayoral election -- it's September 12. And, because of the party's overwhelming voter enrollment in the city, the primary is the de facto election for mayor and many other city elected positions.

So it's worth looking over the new Siena poll out today that covers the mayoral election.

Here are a few bits from that, along with some info about upcoming debates...

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Rezone Albany gets the OK -- and a quick overview of what this was all about

Albany Common Council rezone albany vote

Ahead of Monday's vote.

After more than 2.5 years, the big Rezone Albany project reached its conclusion Monday night when the Common Council approved it by a vote of 12-3. It's the first major overhaul of the city's zoning since the 1960s. It takes effect June 1.

As we've said before, zoning might sound sleep-inducing, but it touches on a bunch of questions that regularly get people fired up, such as: What sorts of businesses can open where? How late can they be open? How can old buildings be adapted for new uses? How can neighborhoods suffering from disinvestment gain new life?

Here's a recap of some of the discussion ahead of Monday's vote, along with an overview of what the heck Rezone Albany is...

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Albany mayor Kathy Sheehan is now officially running for re-election

Kathy Sheehan mayoral announcement 2017

Albany mayor Kathy Sheehan officially announced Saturday that she's running for re-election.

She made the formal announcement before a crowd at the Ancient Order of Hibernians hall in Albany. A clip:

When I was running for mayor four years ago, I heard three things over and over again. That we were a city with a plan, but no action -- lots of plans and no action. That we were being strangled by out-dated rules and regulations that made it hard for people to do things like put a deck on their house without going before the zoning board of appeals, and that we were guilty of leaving money on the table when it was clear we needed every dollar we could get. I took those concerns to heart and every day over the last three years we've worked to turn those perceptions and the realities around. We are showing ourselves and the world that Albany is a city with a plan, and that we know how to act, and that we know how to get results.
And we're doing it through hard work; the un-sexy, unglamorous work; the big-picture, Capital Center, Park South, anti-poverty work. We're tackling the longterm problems we knew we had when we started this journey together four years ago.

Video of Sheehan's announcement speech is embedded below.

Sheehan is currently in her first term as mayor. Prior to that, she served as the city's treasurer for four years. Albany has had just four mayors since 1942.

The Democratic field for mayor now includes Sheehan, Common Council president Carolyn McLaughlin, and Common Council member Frank Commisso Jr. They will be focused on the September party primary, which has historically been the de facto election for the office because of the party's overwhelming enrollment advantage in the city.

Dan Plaat has announced his intent to run for mayor on Green Party line.

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Frank Commisso Jr. is running for Albany mayor

Frank Commisso Jr mayor announce

Common Council member Frank Commisso Jr. officially announced Thursday that he's running for mayor of Albany.

His announcement speech before a crowd at the Polish American Citizens Club focused largely on the city's fiscal issues and taxes. A clip:

The mayor's economic development policies are not developing Albany's economy. Instead of encouraging strategic investments and tactical investments in our city where we can make improvements, put people to work, create taxable revenue, the Sheehan model of economic development is irresponsible. It's become a system of corporate welfare. (applause) The mayor's argument goes that if we provide millions of dollars in tax breaks, it will benefit you and your neighbors and your families, that it will spur improvement in the surrounding neighborhoods. But that growth hasn't occurred, right? Even worse, Albany's largest non-tax-paying entities are enriching themselves at the expense of workers, seniors, small businesses, young professionals, and working class families more broadly. So there will be a lot of folks over the next six months who say Albany's economy is growing and it's growing well and we have all this great new development. Well, the reality is that none of that development is taxable. When those folks say the economy in the city of Albany is growing, you need to ask yourself -- or ask them -- who is it growing for?

Commisso, a Democrat, represents the 15th ward, on the city's west/southwest side. He was first elected in 2009. He currently works in the Albany County comptroller's office, and previously worked for the office of the state comptroller. His father, Frank Commisso, has been the majority leader of the Albany County Legislature since 1993.

Commisso joins Common Council president Carolyn McLaughlin, also a Democrat, as official entrants into the race. Mayor Kathy Sheehan has not yet publicly stated that she's running. The field will be focused on the September party primary, which has historically been the de facto election for the office because of the party's overwhelming enrollment advantage in the city.

Dan Plaat has announced his intent to run for mayor on Green Party line.

Commisso was introduced Thursday by a lineup of speakers that included Judy Logan, a candidate for city treasurer; Common Council members Mark Robinson and Judd Krasher; and county comptroller Mike Conners.

Here's video of Commisso's announcement speech...

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Carolyn McLaughlin is running for Albany mayor

Carolyn McLaughlin Albany mayoral race announce

Common Council president Carolyn McLaughlin officially announced Saturday morning that she's running for mayor of Albany.

From her announcement speech at the Albany Colosseum building on South Pearl Street:

We know it's not about us as an individual, but it's about what we as a community can do to make this city of Albany that ultimate community for which we all can be proud to say that we live in, that we work in, and that we play in. We know that this can be the kind of city that recognizes that you can't be about one neighborhood, but it's about all neighborhoods.

McLaughlin, a Democrat, was first elected to the Common Council in 1997, representing the 2nd Ward, which includes the South End. She won the Common Council presidency in 2009. (She was also chair of the Albany County Democratic Committee for two years until losing out in a party election this past September in what was seen as part of the build up to the mayoral race.)

McLaughlin is the first candidate to officially announce she's in the pool for mayor. She will presumably face incumbent Democratic mayor Kathy Sheehan in the party's primary this September (and perhaps one other person?). The Democratic primary has historically been the de facto election for the office because of the party's overwhelming enrollment advantage in the city.

If elected, McLaughlin would be the first African-American mayor of Albany.

Here's video of McLaughlin's announcement speech, along with another clip of her talking about her personal and professional history...

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The Scoop

For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.

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