Going into the November election, I was thinking today that both the Democrats and Republicans have at least one problem, due not to their own doing, but to circumstances outside of their control:

Democrats:
Due to construction at the City Center, and the convention center's disinclination to host polling places, five city voting districts (3, 4, 8, 9, and 25) will move from the City Center, where they have been since the building opened, to the Lincoln Baths, in Spa State Park.

All five of those districts are Democratic-leaning, and many of those voters are handicapped or elderly. Although the new polling place is no less accessible (both in terms of handicapped ramps and in terms of parking) than the City Center, we may see some voters reluctant to change their habits, after voting in the same place for so many years. Of course, the two spots aren't much more than a mile apart, but it's the notion of having to drive across town that will turn off some voters, and the feeling is that the elderly in those districts are among the mostly likely to decide casting a vote isn't worth the drive.

I would guess that this will be exacerbated by lower turnout in a local election (as compared to a national one) , in addition to lower-still turnout expected this year across the nation, due to a voting public sick of elections after the two-year presidential election. In this area, that effect will be compounded by the special election we had for Congress earlier this year.

Republicans:
For some reason that I do not pretend understand, Beaver Pond Village, an 85-lot subdivision in Geyser Crest, has become associated with the city's Republican Party. The project was granted preliminary approval by the Planning Board in June, over vocal objections from Geyser Crest residents. The project now needs final approval to move forward, and the residents continue to voice their displeasure.

As far as I have been able to ascertain, none of the currently-elected GOP city officials or candidates have anything to do with this project. The closest connection is that Michael Perkins, a member of the Planning Board, is also serving as chairman of Commissioner of Finance Kenneth Ivins Jr.'s campaign — but Perkins recused himself from any votes on Beaver Pond earlier this year.

To make this link even odder, residents seem to be overlooking the fact that Assemblyman James Tedisco issued a letter to the city urging them not to allow the project to go forward back when he was running in the aforementioned special election.

Setting aside completely that there is no discernible, meaningful link between the Republicans and Beaver Pond, there is still a perception, especially in Geyser Crest, that the party is somehow responsible for it. You can be sure the Democrats will do what they can to capitalize on that.