Editorial of October 15, 2026

Go Vote

Early voting in November’s General Election begins next Saturday, October 24. Otsego County voters have their choice of two polling venues: the Brenner Building in Oneonta’s Neahwa Park, 24 Bertus Lauren Drive, or the Meadows Office Complex, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown. Voters can cast their ballots through Sunday, November 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 24-26, October 28, and October 30-November 1, and from noon to 8 p.m. on October 27 and October 29.

There is a lot riding on this election. Democrats hope to retake both the House and the Senate, knowing that the party out of power typically gains ground in midterm elections, according to “The Economist.” Many think, rather than the red wave of the 2024 election, the Dems may be on their way to a landslide victory. Republicans hope the latest polls are wrong, and that they can hold the House and/or the Senate for another two years.

In the 2024 General Election, roughly 74 percent of registered voters in Otsego County voted Republican, echoing the nation’s red sweep, but in 2025 Republicans lost ground, also mirroring national trends. In the half dozen contested races for seats on the Otsego County Board of Representatives last year, Republican incumbents won only three, significantly changing the composition of the board to seven Republicans and seven Democrats. However, because of the county’s weighted voting system, where each representative’s vote share is dependent on their district’s population, Republicans retained a slim majority. Democrats also won big in Oneonta, with their candidate coming out on top in the mayoral race.

Certainly the energy here in Otsego County seems to be in favor of the Democrats at the moment. To their credit, while the Republicans appear to be very low-key—with some candidates struggling to overcome recent scandals—those who champion the left’s agenda are vocal, visible and voracious. In less than a month, we will find out if those efforts are successful or if, once again, Republicans prevail.

The full slate of candidates, sample ballots and proposals under consideration can be found on the Otsego County Board of Elections website. AllOtsego will also be publishing verbatim candidate question-and-answer responses in our hard-copy papers and/or online.

Regardless of your political affiliation, we encourage you to get out and vote. We encourage you to resist voting strictly party line if a candidate on the opposing side better represents your position. And we remind you, now that early voting is an option, you really have no excuse to take a pass on such an important election.

Without a vote, you have no voice, and no bearing on an outcome that will shape the next two years of your life. So when the time comes, go vote. And may the best candidates win.