Today's daily headlines.

Click above to download or play today's "Better Weather." Produced by Joe Demanso of the Catskill Makers Syndicate.

Noah Zweifel is reporting for The Altamont Enterprise at the conclusion of an especially combative election year, the Republican candidates in Berne's contested contests this week defeated all of their Democratic opponents, according to the unofficial election results. The upcoming absentee ballot count is likely to deliver the GOP an official victory. In the supervisor race, Republican Dennis Palow, currently the town’s deputy supervisor, beat Democrat Peggy Christman, 589 votes to 562. For full-term town board seats, appointed board member Leo Vane and newcomer Thomas Doolin both won. In all, the Republicans won about 55 percent of votes to the Democrats’ 45 percent. For a two-year town board seat, left vacant because of a resignation, Republican-backed Democrat and current town clerk Anita Clayton beat Democrat Tim Lippert, 648 to 499. In the highway superintendent race, Republican incumbent Randy Bashwinger won with 622 votes, besting Democrat Barbara Kennedy with 531. For town clerk, Republican Kristin Francis beat Jean Guarino, 614 to 525. In the uncontested town justice race, the Democratic incumbents, Albert Raymond and Alan Zuk, each received slightly more than 800 votes total. For tax collector, another uncontested Democrat, Debra Flagler prevailed, but 101 people wrote in Republican Kim Collins' name. For assessor, uncontested incumbent Democrat Melanie Bunzey will remain in office. Berne Democratic Committee Chairman Kevin Crosier seemed shell-shocked after the results were released, according to Zweifel. After running down a list of some of the major scandals that have occurred in the five years since the GOP started gaining control of the town government, he said, “I mean, everything they’ve touched, they’ve messed up. Maybe people think that’s good government." Read the full story in The Altamont Enterprise.

Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media firefighters from eight companies battled a fast-moving fire November 3 that destroyed a Hunter residence used as a short-term rental, Hunter Fire Chief John Laveglia said. The two-story, five-bedroom log home, at 196 Pine Lane, was listed on Airbnb, Laveglia said. Eight Greene County fire companies responded to fight the fully involved blaze for hours. No one was present in the home when the fire broke out, Laveglia said. Greene County 911 dispatched the Hunter Fire Company to the scene at approximately 10:30 p.m. A neighbor reported the fire after smelling smoke and seeing flames coming from the house. Crews battled the fire for nearly five hours. There were no reported injuries to firefighters, Laveglia said. The Greene County Cause and Origin Team is investigating the cause, but it is not believed to be suspicious, the chief said. The house is a total loss. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on November 4, endorsed Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin's campaign for governor, calling it a "historic opportunity" for the state. "This historic American state can finally get a leader who will lower its record-high taxes, who is small-business oriented, who will create jobs, and who stands with police!" Gingrich said in a statement. "That’s why I am proud to wholeheartedly support Lee in his mission to Save New York once and for all. ...” Gingrich served as the speaker of the House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999 and was a candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. Zeldin, a Long Island House member, has been dubbed the "presumptive nominee" by the state GOP committee after winning a straw poll this summer. However, he will face several rivals for the nomination next summer, including former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, former Trump White House aide Andrew Giuliani and activist Derrick Gibson. Zeldin also voted against certifying the presidential election results on Jan. 6, even though there was no proven fraud. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that COVID-19 vaccinations for children between the ages of 5 and 11 begin next week in Ulster County. Children can get their first Pfizer shot at the former Best Buy store in the Hudson Valley Mall between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 and between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 13. Appointments must be made at vaccinateulster.com and children must be accompanied by parents in order to give their consent. Meanwhile, COVID-19 case counts are still up in Greene and Columbia counties. Columbia County reported 10 new cases Nov. 4, and 26 new cases Nov. 3 with 85 active cases. Greene County reported 12 new cases Nov. 4, and 39 new cases on Nov. 3.

Today's daily news update.

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law Nov. 3 to study whether there should be more education programs in state prisons. "When incarcerated individuals reenter society, it's critical we ensure they are prepared and ready to forge a path for themselves and their families," Hochul said. "By embarking on a detailed study of how we can improve education for those who are incarcerated, we will be able to identify and implement the programs and resources necessary for ensuring those who are reentering society have the best shot at success. This not only benefits the individual and their families, but the community at large, as well." A nine-member panel appointed by Hochul and the majority and minority parties in the Assembly and Senate, will make recommendations on the issue. In 2014, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo supported a plan to provide access to college courses for people prison, until he backed off after a bipartisan backlash. Then in 2017 the Cuomo's administration spent $7 million on colleges providing courses to people in prison to reduce recidivism. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.

Bill Williams reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on Nov. 1 an inmate at Coxsackie Correctional Facility beat on a corrections officer, who was taken to Albany Medical Center, union officials said Nov. 2. The officer was treated for swelling on the right side of his face, a small cut under his right eye, and abrasions on his elbow and shoulder, according to James Miller, director of public relations for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. The attacker was only identified by Miller by his previous crime: he is serving a three-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm. State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision never releases the names of correction officers nor inmates involved in altercations. Union officials implied they could predict this attack, and wanted to place the prisoner in solitary confinement before the incident, as they used the attack to bash the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement, or HALT, Act passed in March, which went into effect Nov. 1. The new law prohibits incarcerated people in special populations from being sentenced to solitary confinement and limits their keep-lock placement to 48 hours. Bill Williams reports for Columbia-Greene Media

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that little is being done to protect the world's first known forest found in Cairo in Greene County. So far, officials are applying for a few grants, and discussing concrete barriers. Cairo had been seeking a Community Development Block Grant in March to fund a feasibility study, but gave up after the state employee the town was communicating with lost their job, according to Cairo resident Joe Hasenkopf, who leads the town committee in charge of preserving the site. Now State Senator Michelle Hinchey wants to help Cairo apply for a State and Municipal Facilities Grant to protect the historic site. Currently "a ring of boulders and a layer of gravel that mostly covers the fossils" is the only protection from the ATV riders who speed past the site that's on town property. Hasenkopf says the town wants to install about 1,100 feet of concrete Jersey barriers with 6-to-8 feet of fencing on top. Scientists from SUNY Binghamton and Cardiff University in England "discovered" the former Cairo quarry in 2009, and published their findings in Current Biology in December 2019. Over 150 specimens from the Cairo site are in the New York State Museum. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Today's daily headlines.

Click above to download or play today's "Better Weather." Produced by Joe Demanso of the Catskill Makers Syndicate.

Robert Gavin reports in the Times Union that an attorney representing two Rensselaer County gun owners told the U.S. Supreme Court on November 3, that his clients were denied a "fundamental constitutional right" when a judge would not issue them concealed-carry gun permits for personal protection. Paul D. Clement, a one-time U.S. solicitor general, told the court that the New York law "deprives a typical New Yorker of their right to carry for self-defense" under the Second Amendment, which allows the right to bear arms. Clement is representing Rensselaer County residents Robert Nash and Brandon Koch, as well as the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. At issue is the New York law governing the possession of guns outside the home. The state prohibits concealed-carry, but does allow judges and State Police to approve concealed-carry permits for lawful gun owners to hunt, shoot at target ranges or if the gun owners can prove they have a heightened risk for personal protection. Clement argued the framers of the U.S. Constitution left it to individuals to decide if they want to carry guns outside the home for self-defense. In 2016, his clients applied for concealed-carry permits for self-protection, but were denied by state Supreme Court Justice Richard McNally, the county's licensing officer. Koch, Nash and the gun association sued McNally and the State Police alleging their Second Amendment rights were violated. New York state solicitor general Barbara Underwood argued that dating to the 14th century, English and later American law has imposed limits on the carrying of guns in public in the interests of public safety. "New York's law fits well within that tradition of regulating public carry and makes a carry license available to any person, not disqualified, who has a non-speculative reason to carry a handgun for self-defense," Underwood told the justices. SCOTUS is expected to render a decision around June of next year. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the sale of 614-620 Columbia Street on Hudson's north side to the Galvan Initiatives Foundation was completed August 31. The property, known as the former Community Theater building, was purchased from the Marina Abramović Institute for Preservation of Performance Art, for $800,000. The Galvan Foundation announced its intent to buy the property in November 2020. Abramović had planned to convert the old theater into a performance art space, but the project never came to fruition. She called off the plan in October 2018, saying the project was cost-prohibitive at a price tag of $31 million. At that point, she had raised more than $661,000 in a Kickstarter campaign for the art space. The 16,665-square-foot building was built in the mid-1920s and became Hudson’s Community Theater. The building housed a movie theater, a disco called Arthur’s Court and, later, indoor tennis courts and an antiques market and warehouse. The acquisition is part of Galvan’s Depot District Initiative, a mixed-use commercial and residential development. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics the fastest growing political affiliation in New York is not the Democratic or Republican parties. Instead, more New York voters during the past decade have chosen to register as political independents — unaligned with any of the major or minor parties on the ballot. Voters not enrolled in any party have far outpaced any other political affiliation in New York, even as Democrats have come to dominate voter registration overall. Data released by the state Board of Elections show that Democrats still hold a large enrollment advantage over Republicans, with 6.1 million registered voters. Republicans have just over 2.7 million voters registered. Both parties lost voters over the last year, but the number of independent or unenrolled voters increased by almost 47,000. This trend was likely because several minor parties were eliminated from the ballot line after they lost their status after the implementation of more stringent rules for qualifying as a viable party. The Greens and Libertarians, as well as the Independence Party, lost their ballot status, and the voters enrolled in those parties were automatically switched to unaffiliated. The trend since 2010 has shown a noticeable increase in unaffiliated voters. During that time, voters who have chosen to not pick a political party have grown by 22 percent. Democrats, by comparison, increased their enrollment by 14 percent over the same time period and Republicans have seen the growth in party enrollment remain flat since 2010. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch reports in The Berkshire Eagle that on Nov. 8 everyone in indoor public spaces in Pittsfield must weak a mask. The Massachusetts city's Board of Health voted unanimously Nov. 3 to require masks in Pittsfield. The policy is in effect, with monthly reviews by the health board, and will last until the coronavirus case data come down enough to satisfy the board. If business owners or individuals refuse to follow the mask mandate in Pittsfield, the Board of Health could issue fines. In Western Massachusetts the town of Adams, Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge also have mask mandates, while Williamstown and Great Barrington only have a mask advisory. There has been a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Pittsfield. Read more about this story in The Berkshire Eagle.

Today's daily news update.

Some results updated: 11 a.m.

Greene County has election results here.
Columbia County has election results here
State ballot proposition results are available here.


Greene County Legislator District 1 Catskill (top four win)
X Michael Bulich (R, C) - 1,557 votes
Monique Chestnut (D, WF) - 851 votes
Doreen Davis (D, Catskill United) - 1,128 votes
Melanie Flannery (WF) - 69 votes
Jeffrey Friedman (D) - 976 votes
X Jack Keller Sr. (R, C) - 1,380 votes
X Matthew Luvera (R, C) - 1,608 votes
X Linda Overbaugh (R, C) - 1,490 votes
Neva Wartell (D, WF) - 880 votes

Greene County Legislator District 2 Coxsackie (top two win)
Charles Martinez; incumbent; Republican, Conservative; 1.033
Thomas Hobart; incumbent; Republican, Conservative; 964

Greene County Legislator District 3 Athens (top one wins)
Edward Bloomer; incumbent; Republican, Conservative; 719

Greene County Legislator District 4 Greenville (top one wins)
X Gregory Davis (R, C) - 604 votes
Randall Schmollinger (D, WF) - 264 votes

Greene County Legislator District 5 New Baltimore (top one wins)
Pat Linger; incumbent; Republican, Conservative; 417

Greene County Legislator District 6 Prattsville, Ashland, Windham, Jewett (top one wins)
James Thorington; incumbent; Republican, Conservative; 956

Greene County Legislator District 7 Halcott, Lexington, Hunter (top one wins)
X Daryl Legg (D) - 457 votes
Charlotte Meigs (R, C) - 306 votes

Greene County Legislator District 8 Cairo (top two win)
Michael Camadine (R) - 802 votes
X Sherry B. True (R, C) - 1,008 votes
X Harry Lennon (D, C) - 935 votes >
Bill Scheriff (D, WF) - 367 votes

Greene County Legislator District 9 Durham (top one wins)
X Patty Handel (R, C) - 389
Brenna Rustick (D) - 253

Ashland supervisor (one winner)
Richard Tompkins; Republican; 143
Write-in; 1

Ashland town board (top two win)
Jeffrey Gonzalez; Republican; 140
Scott Tuttle; Republican; 142

Ashland town clerk/tax collector
Dawn Thorp; Republican; 148

Ashland superintendent of highways Larry Tompkins; Republican; 144

Athens supervisor
Michael Ragaini (R) - 485
Michael Pirrone (D) - 574

Athens town justice
Constance Pazin; Republican; 723
Write-in; 4

Athens town council (top two win)
Mary Brandow; Republican; 576
Phyllisann Dinkelacker; Democrat; 455
Carl Gardner; Democrat 399
Anthony Paluch; Republican 485

Cairo supervisor
Jason Watts; Republican, Conservative; 1,088
Ted Banta; Democrat; 592

Cairo town justice
Joan VanDenburgh; Republican; 1,186
Write-in; 12

Cairo town board
X Mary Jo Cords; Republican, Conservative; 1,096
Lewis O’Connor; Democrat; 495
X Michael Flaherty; Republican, Conservative; 1,117
Thomas Vasquez; Democrat; 471

Cairo tax collector
Susan Hilgendorff; Republican; 1,302

Catskill town board(top two win)
Jared Giordiano; Republican, Conservative; 1,640
Dawn Scannapieco; Republican, Conservative; 1,594
Write-in; 37

Coxsackie supervisor
Richard Hanse; Republican, Conservative; 982

Coxsackie town board (top two win)
Patrick Kennedy; Democrat; 660
Thomas Burke; Democrat; 678

Coxsackie town clerk
Bambi Hotaling; Republican, Conservative; 1,067

Coxsackie superintendent of highways
Lawrence Ross; Democrat; 715

Coxsackie tax collector
Valerie Murphy; Republican, Conservative; 1,047

Durham supervisor
Shawn Marriott; Republican, Conservative; 462
Write-in; 3

Durham town justice
Michele DeCarlo; Republican, Conservative; 467

Durham town board (top two win)
Lisa M. Cirillo; Republican, Conservative; 387
Edward Kerrigan; Republican, Conservative; 400
Kiley Thompson; Democrat; 276

Durham town clerk/tax collector
Janet Partridge; Republican, Conservative; 479
Write-in; 1

Durham superintendent of highways
Joseph VanHolsteyn; Republican, Conservative; 473

Greenville supervisor
Paul Macko; Republican; 690

Greenville town board (top two win)
X Richard Bear; Republican; 552
Michelle Clark; Democrat; 332
X Travis Richards; Republican; 586
Greenville town clerk/tax collector
Jessica Lewis; Republican; 582
Michelle Clark; Working Families; 176

Greenville superintendent of highways Michael Dudley; Republican; 690

Halcott supervisor
Yukari Day; Democrat, Republican; 80

Halcott town justice
Kenneth Williams; Democrat, Republican; 81

Halcott town board (top two win)
A. Innes Kasanof; Democrat, Republican; 76
Judith DiBenedetto; Democrat, Republican; 78

Halcott town clerk
Patricia Warfield; Democrat, Republican; 80

Halcott superintendent of highways
Russell Bouton; Democrat, Republican; 79

Halcott tax collector
Robin White; Democrat, Republican; 80

Hunter supervisor
Sean Mahoney; Democrat, Republican; 690

Hunter town justice
Kimberly Prince; Republican, Conservative; 516

Hunter town board (top two win)
Andrew Poladian (R, C) - 314 votes
X Ernest Reale (D) - 423 votes
X Dolph Semenza (D, R, C) - 656 votes
Hunter superintendent of highways
John Farrell; Democrat; 602

Jewett supervisor
James Quackenbush; Democrat; 122
Gregory Kroyer; Republican, Conservative; 213

Jewett town board
Elida Bell (D) - 117 votes
Taylor Coloton (D) - 123 votes
John Giordano (R, C) - 201 votes
James Pellitteri (R, C) - 196 votes

Lexington supervisor
Jo Ellen Schermerhorn; Democrat; 195

Lexington town justice
Joe Cuesta; Democrat; 109
Steven Rossignol; Republican; 152

Lexington town board (top two win)
Michael Barcone; Democrat; 151
Susan Jo Falk; Republican 136
Bradley Jenkins; Republican; 148

Lexington town clerk/tax collector
Charlotte Jaeger; Democrat, Republican; 264

Lexington superintendent of highways
Kevin Simmons; Democrat, Republican; 254

New Baltimore supervisor
Jeffry Ruso; Republican, Conservative; 387

New Baltimore town board (top two win)
X Kelly Downes (R) - 327 votes
X Shelley Van Etten (R, C) - 343 votes
Thomasina Winslow (D, WF) - 290 votes

New Baltimore town clerk/tax collector
Barbara Finke; Republican, Conservative; 403

Prattsville supervisor
Greg Cross; Republican; 196

Prattsville town justice (vote for two)
Daniel Beckham; Republican; 155
David Rikard; Democrat, Republican; 189

Prattsville town board (top two win)
Kenneth Aurigema; Republican; 104
Mason Chase; Democrat; 91
Eli Martin; Republican; 155
Andrew Rikard; Democrat; 109

Prattsville town clerk
Kathleen Sherman; Democrat, Republican; 214

Prattsville superintendent of highways
William Sutton; Democrat; 147
Eric Jaeger; Republican; 92

Prattsville tax collector
Carole Cangelosi; Republican; 197

Windham supervisor
Thomas Hoyt; Republican, Conservative; 382

Windham town justice
Carol Donnelly; Republican, Conservative; 383

Windham town board (top two win)
Wayne VanValin; Republican, Conservative; 356
Ian Peters; Republican, Conservative; 300

Windham highway superintendent
Gary Thorington; Republican, Conservative; 371

Windham tax collector
Katherine Murray; Republican, Conservative; 387

Columbia County Sheriff
David P. Bartlett (R) - 8,707
X Donald J. Krapf (D) - 10,505

City of Hudson
Treasurer Heather Campbell; incumbent; Democrat; 935
Michael Hofmann; Working Families; 241

First Ward Alderperson (top one wins)
Claire Cousin, Democrat, Working Families; 251

First Ward Alderperson (top two win)
"Write-in," 187
Art Frick; Democrat; 163;
Gary Purnhagen; Democrat; 137.

Second Ward Alderperson (top one wins)
Abdus Miah; Democrat, Conservative; 150
Tiffany Garriga; Working Families; 45

Second Ward Alderperson (top two win)
Dewan Sarowar; Democrat, Conservative; 157;
Mohammad Rony; Democrat; 133.
Lee Bradshaw; Republican; 14

Third Ward Alderperson (top one wins)
Michael Chameides, Democrat, Working Families; 208
Write-in, 7

Third Ward Alderperson (top two win)
Ryan Wallace; Democrat, Conservative; 170;
Calvin Lewis; Democrat; 131.
Write-in; 118

Fourth Ward Alderperson (top one wins)
Linda Mussmann, Democrat; 135
Write-in, 6

Fourth Ward Alderperson (top two win)
Malachi Walker; Democrat, Conservative; 129;
Theodore Anthony; Democrat; 120.
Write-in; 6

Fifth Ward Alderperson (top one wins)
Richard Scalera, Democrat; 250
Write-in, 1

Fifth Ward Alderperson (top two win)
Vivky Daskaloudi; Democrat; 258;
Dominic Merante; Democrat, Conservative; 230
Rebecca Borrer; Working Families; 67.

Canaan supervisor (vote for two) William Powers; Democrat; 392
David Patzwahl; Republican; 314
John Reinhardt; Republican; 236

Claverack town board (top two win)
Douglas Colwell, Republican, Conservative; 1,112
Stephen "Hookie" Hook; Republican, Conservative; 1,112
Brenda Shufelt; Democrat, Working Families; 865
Brian Yorck; Democrat, Working Families; 795

Hillsdale town board (vote for two)
Thomas Carty Jr.; Democrat; 406
Jimmy Dawson; Republican, Conservative; 357
Joanna Virello; Democrat; 337

Livingston town board (top two win)
Casey Halladay; Democrat; 425
Philip Massaro; Republican; 605
Rebecca Schroeder Harcleroad; Democrat; 466
Thomas Shumsky; Republican 587

New Lebanon town board (top two win)
Marianna Anthonisen; Democrat, Working Families; 454
Britt Buckenroth; Democrat, Working Families; 427
Kevin Smith Sr.; VOP; 236

Taghkanic town board (top two win)
Elisabeth Albert; Democrat; 278
Joshua Plass; Republican, Conservative; 224
Linda Swartz; Democrat; 283

NYS Statewide Constitutional amendment proposals
With 15,388 of 15,485 Election Districts reporting:
Proposition No. 1: Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process
Yes: 1,196,940 votes (38.6%)
No: 1,508,400 votes (48.6%)
Proposition No. 2: Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment
Yes: 1,895,175 votes (61%) No: 853,731 votes (27.5%)
Proposition No. 3: Eliminating 10-Day Advance Voter Registration Requirement
Yes: 1,174,729 votes (37.8%)
No: 1,597,456 votes (51.4%)
Proposition No. 4: Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting
Yes: 1,203,441 votes (38.7%)
No: 1,558,501 votes (50.1%)
Proposition No. 5: Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court
Yes: 1,667,863 votes (53.8%)
No: 983,153 (31.7%)

Note: All election results are unofficial pending certification by the state Board of Elections.

Roger Hannigan Gilson reports in the Times Union that in 2008, Democrats began outnumbering Republicans in Columbia County, but did not have many electoral victories to show for their size. But in this fall's election, the countywide candidate Democrats backed for sheriff, Don Krapf, defeated long-time Republican sheriff David Bartlett. By 2017, Democrats outnumber Republicans in Columbia County 55 percent to 45 percent, and that was roughly the unofficial election night vote total in the sheriff's election. Krapf was a former Republican, running as an independent backed by Democrats. Bartlett's defeat might not be due to inevitable demographics. Bartlett's campaign was haunted by the beating of Harold Handy, at a July 4, 2020 Kinderhook party hosted by one of his deputy sheriffs. Currently four people are facing trial for the beating, and Bartlett's office was criticized for his handling of the case. Columbia County sheriff's deputies, for instance, erroneously told superiors that Handy was not severely hurt, but he was put in in the intensive care unit at Albany Medical Center, where doctors said he was severely beaten. Bartlett's deputies also initially claimed that the partygoers -- many working in law enforcement -- were too drunk to be interviewed, according to a deposition taken by State Police and obtained by the Times Union. “Justice for Harold” signs were seen on lawns last summer, and there were several protests. Read more about this story in the Times Union.

Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that state voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing New Yorkers the right to "clean air and water and a healthful environment," but voted against two expansions of voting rights, and a change to the redistricting process. The "Green Amendment" was approved 61 percent to 26 percent, according to unofficial results on election night. The state's Republican Party opposed the proposition, saying it would lead to unnecessary regulation and costly litigation. Republicans also opposed changes to the state's redistricting process, and voters agreed, with only 39 percent in favor of the changes that good government groups said would give the majority party redistricting power, rather than creating a nonpartisan way to draw the lines. Same-day voter registration also failed, losing 39 percent to 50 percent. And voters did not want no-excuse absentee voting, which was allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some Republicans warned, without evidence, that those changes would increase the risk of voter fraud. A fifth constitutional change that expanded the jurisdictional powers of New York City's civil courts was approved. Read more about this story in the Times Union.