County says Board of Elections will remain in Ithaca as officials search for new space

At the Aug. 5 Downtown Facility Special Committee meeting, county staff updated legislators that the Board of Elections will remain in the city of Ithaca while the administration evaluates alternative space options. The announcement matters because the Board of Elections' location affects public access to voting services and is tied to the county's Center of Government planning and related building relocations. County staff member Corso told the committee, "The Board of Elections will remain in the city of Ithaca. We have identified multiple locations, and we are continuing conversations in terms of suitability and ensuring that it's accessible." The staff update said the administration is working to secure interim space and is continuing to evaluate long-term options including renting, building or buying. During public comment, Susan Moulter of the Town of Ithaca told the committee she was surprised she did not see a public meeting advertised about the move and asked that the county hold a public forum that presents the three options. Moulter said, "There would have been mentioned the 3 options, renting, building, or buying." Legislator Greg Mezey told the committee he plans to propose amendments to a resolution on that night's agenda to clarify the county's position and to avoid prematurely assigning departments to any swing space. Several legislators thanked administration staff for collecting community feedback and said they wanted the public needs—especially walkable access—to guide placement of the elections office. Legislator Andy Korman said the recent parking study and community input were "really valuable information" for weighing how people access county departments. No formal vote on the Board of Elections' long-term location was recorded at the meeting. Mezey said he will propose amendments to clarify the resolution before that evening's full-legislature consideration. The meeting record shows one public commenter and multiple legislators participating in discussion; the county said it will provide further updates as its review continues.