While we are between the Democratic and Republican party conventions, the local political scene has been somewhat low key, or so it would seem. Here are some passing notes on the fall campaign, which starts officially on Labor Day.

There is only one locally competitive race this fall - it is the race to fill the seat that became open with the death earlier this year of Cayuga County Legislator Steve Netti, R-Auburn, now filled by Patrick McIntosh, a fellow Republican. McIntosh is filling the post for this year. That means that who ever wins this election, McIntosh or former city planner Cindy Aikman, will have to run next year for a full four-year term. Democrat Aikman, even as there was a chance that the GOP would have a primary - a challenger's petitions were tossed out - was out doing door-to-door campaigning the Friday night that petitions had been filed in the district she wants to represent.

In local county legislative races it is normal to see candidates go door to door to get signatures on petitions or ask voters for their vote on Election Day. As you move up the political ladder, it becomes less regular and more than usual that such efforts are photo-ops. So it was more than interesting to note two weeks ago that Republican state Sen. Michael F. Nozzolio was not above asking local supporters to sign his independent petitions to get on an independent line - the Taxpayer's First line. He was not shy about going around asking people to sign his petitions to get another line in his run against Democratic challenger Paloma Cappana.

What may be the most active local campaign so far this year is not for a legislative seat but a fight that is taking place behind the scenes within the Democratic Party for who will be the Democratic Elections Commissioner. Dennis Sedor, who has been the Democrats' man at the Board of Elections for the last several years, has to be re-appointed by his party by late September every other year. While that is usually pro-forma, this year he has a challenger none other than Democratic Chairwoman Katie Lacey, who has made it clear that she is interested in the paid post. The argument being used by the Sedor forces is that the Democrats have a moral advantage with him over their Republican counterpart, Cheryl Heary. The GOP chair has been a sore spot among some when it comes to ruling on petition challenges - the Lacey forces suggest that having both chairs going head to head wouldn't be a bad idea, tactically.

So, as the Democrats gather for their Democratic Baseball Night on Tuesday Night at Falcon Park, it is likely that this will be the quiet topic of choice, not the national campaign.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com