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Green appears to say good-bye to legislature

Chautauqua County Democratic Election Commissioner Norman P. Green, appeared to say farewell, even though he remains in his current position.

Green said during Wednesday’s meeting that he was told last February by Legislator Chuck Nazzaro, D-Jamestown, that the Democrats on the legislature would not back his reappointment at the end of 2020. “I accepted that. I went to work every day, worked hard every day. I didn’t give up. … I did what I’m supposed to do,” he said.

Green noted that he has held the position for 22 years, and before that was a regional manager and had served in the U.S. Army. He also served on the Ellicott Town Board.

Green shared how he helped the county transition from using lever to electronic voting machines, something mandated by the state. He shared the challenges of running elections during the pandemic, including helping schools with their elections.

He also shared with pride that they have been able to keep their spending flat for more than a decade. “Our budget is approximately the same amount of money that it was in 2009,” he said. “No other department can say that.”

On Wednesday, the county legislature received a certification from the Democratic Executive Committee for the appointment of Green as election commissioner but did not act on it. By not voting on the recommendation, it appears the county legislature is forcing the full Democratic County Committee to come up with a different nomination.

In the fall Green endorsed Lus Torres, his deputy, to become the next election commissioner, but the legislature did not act on her appointment either and that recommendation has since expired.

By law, the county legislature cannot fire Green, and cannot choose its own candidate for the position but it can avoid appointing a person, as it has done for several months. Green will remain in the position as election commissioner until the legislature officially accepts a nomination from the county Democrats.

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