Republicans back Lattimore for fourth run against Quill for Auburn mayor

The race for Auburn mayor will likely be another rematch.

For the fifth straight mayoral race, the Cayuga County Republican Committee has endorsed Cayuga County Legislator Timothy Lattimore as its candidate, and for the fourth consecutive time, the Cayuga County Democratic Committee is supporting incumbent Mayor Michael Quill.

The endorsements came this month ahead of the early start this year for candidates to seek signatures to be on the ballot. State election law changes approved by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January have moved the 2019 local election primary from September to June, which has shifted the process for getting on the ballot.

The period for collecting designating party petition signatures began Tuesday. Those petitions must be filed with the state and county elections boards April 1-4, with any primary elections taking place June 25.

Should Lattimore and Quill emerge as the official nominees for Auburn mayor, it will mark their fourth matchup. Quill unseated Lattimore, who had been elected as mayor in 2003, in a 2007 race by a 42-vote margin, Cayuga County Board of Elections records show.