Local News: 2023 Election Results

- Election Results: Ithaca, Broome, and Chemung County -

Ithaca

Democrat Robert Cantelmo will be the new mayor. 

Solidarity Slate candidate Kayla Matos has defeated 12-year Common Council incumbent Cynthia Brock. Matos got 53% of votes cast to Brock’s 46%. Matos first defeated Brock in the Democratic Party primary. Brock stayed in the race running on the Ithacans for Progress slate. Matos will hold the 4-year seat representing the First Ward. 

Phoebe Brown defeated Republican Zach Winn to be re-elected to Council in the 2-year seat for the First Ward. 

Jason Houghton is leading Clyde Lederman, a Cornell freshman for the 2-year seat in the Fifth Ward. Houghton lost to Lederman by less than ten votes in the Democratic primary but stayed in the race on the Ithacans for Progress slate. The Ithaca Voice reports there are more absentee and affidavit ballots to be counted than the 23 points that now separate Houghton and Lederman.

Pierre Saint-Perez defeated Pat Sewell for the 2-year seat in the Third Ward. 

Fourth Ward Alderperson Jorge DeFendini ran unopposed. Defendini got 28 votes. But a late campaign by Patrick Kuehl may have gotten him 12 write-in votes. With the low turnout that is enough to challenge DeFendini’s lead because there are 38 absentee and affidavit votes to be counted next week. Kuel is a Cornell University undergraduate and president of the Student Assembly. The Fourth Ward includes Collegetown and neighborhoods around the campus. 

Chemung County Voters go for term limits

Chemung County voters passed a ballot measure setting term limits for county legislators and the county executive. It limits position holders limited to three consecutive four-year terms.

Battisti wins Broome County District Attorney in second try

Paul Battisti won the race for Broome County District Attorney. He defeated former Binghamton mayor Democrat Matt Ryan. Battisti defeated the current D.A. Mike Korchak in the Republican primary in June. This was the second time Battisti beat Korchak in a Republican primary. WSKG reported that he beat Korchak in 2019 but lost to him in the general election by 55 votes. Korchak ran as a Libertarian. Battisti sought a recount but a judge denied his request. 

All election results are unofficial until affidavit and absentee ballots are counted next week.