• What is the role of the County Executive?

• What is the term of the County Executive and when is the next election?

• What is the role of the County Clerk?

• What is the role of the County Comptroller?

• What is the role of the District Attorney?

• What is the role of the Sheriff?

• Where can I obtain an absentee ballot?

• What is my Legislative District?

• Who is my County Legislator?

• When is the next monthly meeting of the County Legislature?

• Where can I obtain a sample ballot?

• How will I know if I am properly registered to vote?

• How soon before an election can I register and be allowed to vote?

• How/where do I register to vote and where is my polling place?

• When are Campaign Finance filings due?

• How do I become a candidate for an elective office?

• How do I become a poll worker?

• Who are the elected officials serving Dutchess County residents?

• How can I contact my elected officials?

Q.   What is the role of the County Executive?

The Dutchess County Charter describes the position, election, term, qualifications, and compensation of the County Executive as follows: “There shall be a County Executive, who shall be elected in an odd numbered year from the County at large for a term of four years beginning with the first day of January next following his election.  He shall be directly responsible to all the people of the County.  At the time of his nomination and election, and throughout his term of office, he shall be and remain a qualified elector of the County.  He shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the County Legislature, but in no event shall his compensation be diminished during a term for which he shall have been elected.” The powers and duties of the County Executive are detailed below, as put forth in the Dutchess County Charter: “The County Executive shall be the chief executive officer of the County.  Except as may otherwise be provided herein, he shall have and exercise all the executive powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed by law or this Charter upon a county executive officer or the executive branch of a county, and all powers and duties necessarily implied or incidental thereto.  Among such powers and duties, but not by way of limitation, he shall:       (a)  appoint, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, all department heads and appointive executive officers of the County government, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature;       (b)  supervise, direct and control the administration of all departments;       (c)  appoint such assistants, officers and employees of his office as may be authorized by the County Legislature;       (d)  supervise and direct the internal structure and organization of every unit of the executive branch of the County government, including, except as otherwise provided in this Charter or applicable law, the appointment and dismissal of employees;       (e)  appoint, supervise and terminate, subject to the provisions of section 3.03 of this Charter and except as otherwise herein provided, all executive committees, commissions and boards, of which he shall be an ex officio member, to assist him in the exercise of his executive functions and in the planning, formulation and administration of executive policies and programs;       (f)  be the chief budgetary officer of the County;       (g)  designate one or more official depositories within the County for the deposit and withdrawal of County funds;       (h)  approve or disapprove the sufficiency of sureties on official bonds and undertakings;       (i)  approve or disapprove in writing every proposed local law; ordinance; legalizing act; or resolution, except those provided in section 2.02 (d) herein, provided that if the County Executive shall fail to return such legislation to the Clerk of the County Legislature, with reasons in writing, within ten (10) days after submission to the County Executive, or thirty (30) days in the case of a local law, such legislation shall be deemed approved and duly enacted;       (j)  appoint a member of the County Legislature to serve as its Chairman for the balance of the calendar year should the County Legislature fail to select a Chairman from among its members within thirty (30) days after that office shall become vacant for any reason;       (k)  determine and fix real property equalization rates for each of the County tax districts for County purposes, and file copies of such rates in writing with the Clerk of the County Legislature and State Board of Equalization and Assessment on or before the first day of October of each year;       (l)  file with the County Legislature annually on or before the first day of February of each year a written report of the finances of the County and the activities of the executive branch of the County government in such detail and in such manner as he may deem appropriate or as the County Legislature may by resolution specify, and make other reports at such times and in such manner as the County Legislature may by resolution require;       (m)  possess all powers and duties with respect to weights and measures;       (n)  make purchases and sales of all materials, supplies and equipment, and contract for the rental and servicing of equipment for the County, subject to the provisions of the General Municipal Law;       (o)  make, sign and implement all contracts on behalf of the County within authorized appropriations; and       (p)  supervise the operations of the County's data processing and machine tabulating equipment.” Go to top of page

Q.   What is the term of the County Executive and when is the next election?

The term of the County Executive is four years.  Elections for this position are held in odd numbered years; the term begins the first day of the next January following the election.  The next election for County Executive will be held in 2007.   Go to top of page

Q.   What is the role of the County Clerk?

The County Clerk is elected from the County at large in accordance with applicable State law beginning with the first day of January following his/her election for a term of four years.  At the time of his/her nomination and election, and throughout his/her term of office, the County Clerk is a qualified elector of the County.  The Dutchess County Charter describes the powers and duties of the County Clerk as follows:  “The County Clerk shall be the official registrar of the County.  Except as may otherwise be provided in this Charter, he shall have all the powers and perform all the duties conferred or imposed by law upon county clerks, and perform such other and related duties required by the County Executive or County Legislature.” Go to top of page

Q.   What is the role of the County Comptroller?

The Comptroller is the chief accounting and auditing officer of the County and is elected from the County at large for a term of four years beginning with the first day of the January following his/her election.  As detailed in the Dutchess County Charter, the powers and duties of the Comptroller include the following:     "(a) maintain records of appropriations, encumbrances and expenditures, and prescribe approved methods of accounting for all units of County government, unless otherwise required by the State Comptroller;    (b) certify the availability of funds for all requisitions, contracts, purchase orders and other documents by which the County incurs financial obligations or for the expenditure of funds for which the County is responsible;    (c) prescribe the form of receipts, vouchers, bills, and claims, unless otherwise required by the State Comptroller;    (d) audit and certify for payment all lawful claims or charges against the County, whether for payroll or otherwise, or against funds for which the County is responsible in whole or in part;    (e) audit the financial records and accounts of all units of County government charged with any duty relating to funds of the County or for which the County is responsible;    (f) submit reports to the County Executive or County Legislature in such form and detail and at such times as either may require; and    (g) have all the powers and perform all the duties conferred or imposed by law upon a county comptroller, and perform such other related duties required by the County Executive or County Legislature." Go to top of page

Q.   What is the role of the District Attorney?

The District Attorney prosecutes or otherwise disposes of all crimes committed in the County of Dutchess, including state institutions and correctional facilities, on behalf of the People of the State of New York. The postion, election, term and qualifications of the District Attorney are described in the Dutchess County Charter as follows:  "There shall be a District Attorney, who shall be elected from the County at large in accordance with applicable State Law beginning with the first day of January next following his election.  At the time of his nomination and election, and throughout his term of office, the District Attorney shall be and remain a qualified elector of the County and shall be and remain duly licensed and entitled to practice law in the State of New York." "...Except as may otherwise be provided in this Charter, the District Attorney shall have all the powers and perform all the duties conferred or imposed by law upon district attorneys, and perform such other and related non-conflicting duties required by the County Executive or County Legislature." Go to top of page

Q.   What is the role of the Sheriff?

The postion, election, term and qualifications of the Sheriff are described in the Dutchess County Charter as follows: "There shall be a Sheriff, who shall be elected from the County at large in accordance with applicable State Law beginning with the first day of January next following his election.  At the time of his nomination and election, and throughout his term of office, the Sheriff shall be and remain a qualified elector of the County." Further, the Dutchess County Charter describes the position and duties of the Sheriff as follows: "The Sheriff shall be the chief law enforcement officer for, and have jurisdiction throughout, the County.  Except as may otherwise be provided in this Charter, he shall have all the powers and perform all the duties, both criminal and civil, conferred or imposed by law upon sheriffs, and perform such other and related duties required by the County Executive or County Legislature."   Go to top of page

Q.   Where can I obtain an absentee ballot?

To access information on absentee ballots as well as information about voter registration, polling places, casting write-in votes, downloading forms, and voting if you are ill or disabled, please visit the website of the Dutchess County Board of Elections. Go to top of page

Q.   What is my Legislative District?

To find your Legislative District, click on the following GeoAccess map icon -   The window that opens will display a map of Dutchess County.   From the button bar located at the top of the window, click the ID button, then click on the area on the map where you live.  Your Legislative District number along with the name of your County Legislator and a link to his/her webpage will display at the bottom of the window.  Click on this link to obtain further information.  (Please note, help with the GeoAccess mapping function can be displayed by clicking on the "?" at the top right corner of the window.) Go to top of page

Q.   Who is my County Legislator?

If you know the Legislative District in which you reside, you can find out the name, address and phone number of your County Legislator by visiting Your Dutchess County Legislators webpage.  If you don't know what your Legislative District is, the name, address and phone number of your County Legislator may by obtained by clicking the following GeoAccess map icon -   The window that opens will display a map of Dutchess County.   From the button bar located at the top of the window, click the ID button, then click on the area on the map where you live.  The name of your County Legislator along with a link to his/her webpage will display at the bottom of the window.  Click on this link to obtain further information.  (Please note, help with the GeoAccess mapping function can be displayed by clicking on the "?" at the top right corner of the window.) Go to top of page

Q.   When is the next monthly meeting of the County Legislature?

The current year's scheduled meeting dates for the County Legislature can be found by clicking on the Legislative Meeting Dates menu item on the left side of the County Legislature webpages. Go to top of page

Q.   Where can I obtain a sample ballot?

Links to sample ballots will be posted on the Board of Election's website as soon as they are available. For the General Elections  in November, there will be around 75 or 80 different ballots in Dutchess County. For the Primary Elections in September, a few dozen different ballots. Go to top of page

Q.   How will I know if I am properly registered to vote?

All voters are mailed a "voter check card" in September. New voters receive a confirmation in the mail shortly after the registration is processed. Go to top of page

Q.   How soon before an election can I register and be allowed to vote?

You can register to vote anytime, but the last day for new voters to register for the Primary is August 19 and the last day for the General is October 14. Go to top of page

Q.   How/where do I register to vote and where is my polling place?

To access information on voter registration, polling places, absentee ballots, casting write-in votes, downloading forms, and voting if you are ill or disabled, please visit the Dutchess County Board of Election's Frequently Asked Questions webpage. Go to top of page

Q.   When are Campaign Finance filings due?

For Campaign Finance filing deadlines, as well as other information, please visit the Campaign Finance section of New York State Board of Elections website. Go to top of page

Q.   How do I become a candidate for an elective office?

To access information on becoming a candidate, please visit the Dutchess County Board of Election's website.  Go to top of page

Q.   How do I become a poll worker?

To access information on how to become a poll worker, please visit the website of the Dutchess County Board of Elections. Go to top of page

Q.   Who are the elected officials serving Dutchess County residents?

Dutchess County’s “Elected Officials” webpages provide information on elected officials from the local all the way up to Federal arena.  Click Here to access these webpages.  Additional information about local elected officials at the municipal level can be found in the County Legislature’s annual Dutchess County Factbook.  Click Here to access this book in .pdf format. Go to top of page

Q.   How can I contact my elected officials?

Click Here to access contact information for your elected officials. Go to top of page