Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

Scanlan, an independent who was endorsed by the Cayuga County Democratic Committee, defeated Conservative candidate Kristine Lytle and Republican Chris Petrus to win the three-way race. 

A lot of work went into that campaign, from crisscrossing Cayuga County to knocking on thousands of doors. 

"We talked to lots of voters. We heard their voices and they heard mine and they responded," Scanlan told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV. "I'd like to thank the voters of Cayuga County for that support." 

Now, Scanlan is focused on the transition. He will take over an office that Sue Dwyer, the longtime county clerk, has led for 20 years. During the interview, he praised Dwyer's leadership as county clerk and said he is eager to learn from her over the next several weeks. 

On Wednesday, Scanlan attended the Cayuga County Legislature's Government Operations Committee meeting. Before the meeting, he met with Dwyer for about 30 minutes. 

At the committee meeting, a familiar face gave him a shoutout. Petrus, a Cayuga County legislator who chairs the committee, recognized Scanlan and congratulated him on his victory. 

Scanlan appreciated the gesture. He thanked both of his opponents, Lytle and Petrus, for "having the courage to run for office." 

The next step in the transition process was a meeting Monday between Dwyer and Scanlan. He said the purpose of the meeting was to develop a transition plan. He plans on having more meetings with Dwyer and the deputy clerks. He also wants to be in the office "as much as I possibly can" to shadow Dwyer. 

Scanlan, a retired Auburn firefighter and small business owner, said the effort he put into campaigning will now be directed to serving as county clerk. 

"This office is new to me, but hard work is not," he continued. "I'm going to use my skills and learn from the employees and run that office with the best possible customer service for the residents of Cayuga County."