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District Attorney Jon Budelmann on Wednesday announced his candidacy for the county's surrogate judge seat. He is currently serving his fourth term running the DA's office and was most recently reelected in 2019 running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines.

The judicial seat is set to be open after Judge Mark Fandrich announced last month that he won't pursue reelection for the 10-year surrogate judge term. Due to the state's mandatory retirement age for state judges, Fandrich would not have been able to finish the term. He will be turning 67 at the end of his current term this year, while mandatory retirement age in New York is 70.

Budelmann praised Fandrich in a news release for his "commitment, professionalism, and fairness on the bench."

The district attorney said he believes his legal experience and commitment to the area have prepared him to be a judge.

"I will continue to apply my knowledge of the law and experience in the courtroom to exercise sound judgment and focus on the serious matters that affect our community," he said.

"As Cayuga County District Attorney, I have worked to ensure justice, successfully prosecuted thousands of felony cases, advised law enforcement agencies, and evaluated criminal charges. I have also served as legal advisor to more than 70 grand jury terms, where I determined admissibility of evidence and instructed those jurors on the appropriate law to be applied in each case.

"In my 27 years practicing law, I have also demonstrated my commitment to our community by serving on Boards of Directors for many not-for-profit agencies that address important issues facing our community, such as domestic violence and sexual assault," he said.

Budelmann also noted his efforts raising money for local causes, including being a co-chair for the United Way of Cayuga County's fund raising campaign. He has also been helping young people learn about the dangers of substance abuse, the release said, and has been an associate professor at Cayuga Community Colleges since 1998, teaching criminal justice.

"I would like to thank the voters of Cayuga County for supporting and electing me to four terms as District Attorney and trust they will recognize my commitment to our community and support me once again this November," Budelmann said.

The district attorney is the first person to publicly announce their intentions for the open county judge position. 

Ian Phillips, chairman of the Cayuga County Democratic Committee, said in an email the group continues to speak with possible candidates about running for the seat. 

"Retiring Judge Fandrich's high standards of ethics, steady judicial temperament and the respect he's earned from attorneys regardless of their political stripes leave big shoes to fill," Phillips said. "We know voters will take this seriously and we are taking the search process seriously."