The Steuben County Board of Elections may have to wait until next year to learn who its Democratic Elections Commissioner will be.
County Democratic Chairman Shawn Hogan said the party is talking with its current elections commissioner, Joseph Welch, about whether he wants to return to the job.
“If he wants to, that’s fine, if not, we’ll find someone else,” Hogan said.
Welch, 38, was nominated for the full time post by Democrats and appointed by the county Legislature in February 2010.
The chairman of the Corning Democratic Party, Welch filled the unexpired term of Democratic Commissioner Gilbert Sweet, who resigned after a year in office as a part-time commissioner.
Welch then was appointed commissioner by county lawmakers for a two-year term, expiring at the end of this year.
If Welch chooses not to return, the Dems would then search for candidates to fill the vacant post, a process that could takes weeks and leave the elections board short-handed.
“Well, that’s what we have a deputy commissioner for,” Hogan said.
The county’s Board of Elections Republican Commissioner Veronica Olin, was given tentative approval for another term Tuesday by the county Legislature’s Administration Committee. Her appointment is expected to be endorsed by the full board when it meets at 10 a.m. Monday.
Olin has been commissioner since Jan. 1, 2009.
The Steuben County Board of Elections may have to wait until next year to learn who its Democratic Elections Commissioner will be.
County Democratic Chairman Shawn Hogan said the party is talking with its current elections commissioner, Joseph Welch, about whether he wants to return to the job.
“If he wants to, that’s fine, if not, we’ll find someone else,” Hogan said.
Welch, 38, was nominated for the full time post by Democrats and appointed by the county Legislature in February 2010.
The chairman of the Corning Democratic Party, Welch filled the unexpired term of Democratic Commissioner Gilbert Sweet, who resigned after a year in office as a part-time commissioner.
Welch then was appointed commissioner by county lawmakers for a two-year term, expiring at the end of this year.
If Welch chooses not to return, the Dems would then search for candidates to fill the vacant post, a process that could takes weeks and leave the elections board short-handed.
“Well, that’s what we have a deputy commissioner for,” Hogan said.
The county’s Board of Elections Republican Commissioner Veronica Olin, was given tentative approval for another term Tuesday by the county Legislature’s Administration Committee. Her appointment is expected to be endorsed by the full board when it meets at 10 a.m. Monday.
Olin has been commissioner since Jan. 1, 2009.
