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Scanlan provided his resignation letter to Ë®¹ûÅÉAV. In the letter, which was sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Cayuga County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Anna and Cayuga County Attorney Fred Westphal, he informs the leaders of his immediate resignation. 

"In recent weeks, I have contemplated deeply this decision that I definitely did not reach lightly," Scanlan wrote. "The conclusion, however, is clear and concrete — my time and efforts will be dedicated to my family and friends, in particular my loving wife and children." 

Scanlan continued, "It has been a great honor and privilege to serve the county and its residents. In my time as clerk, I worked with some outstanding and talented individuals. I leave without regret, grateful for the guidance and support received from so many, especially the New York State Association of County Clerks and the team that made my election possible." 

In a text message to Ë®¹ûÅÉAV, Scanlan said he has "struggled with this for quite some time." 

"I've worked extremely hard, however, I must take care of my family and myself," he added. 

Scanlan, a retired Auburn firefighter, was the Democratic candidate for county clerk in 2023. He ran in a three-way race against Kristine Lytle, who was backed by the Conservative Party, and Republican candidate Chris Petrus. Scanlan won the countywide election to succeed Sue Dwyer, the longtime county clerk. 

Shortly after the election, Scanlan was involved in a hit-and-run crash — he struck a parked car on Fairway Drive in Owasco — and ticketed for leaving the scene of an accident. 

Scanlan later told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV that he was scared because of his recent election and admitted it was a mistake to leave the scene. 

As clerk, Scanlan sought to boost organ donation and finish a major project to digitize county records. He oversaw four departments — the county records center, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the historian's office and the recording office. 

The closure of the Cayuga County Office Building affected Scanlan's work. His office was forced to relocate to a nearby building, while the DMV is temporarily located at the county Public Safety Building. In September, he asked the county Legislature for more space for his office and the DMV. 

Scanlan also defended the DMV against proposed job cuts. The county budget proposal called for slashing two positions from the department, which he said would affect customer service. 

The final budget delayed those job cuts for a few months. Meanwhile, Scanlan worked with Cayuga County Legislator Brian Muldrow on a plan to increase revenue and preserve the positions.

The Cayuga County Legislature's Government Operations Committee, which Muldrow chairs, will consider a resolution this week to set a public hearing on the proposal to institute an annual motor vehicle registration fee. 

Under the state's Public Officers Law, Hochul has the authority to appoint a county clerk if there is a vacancy. Anna told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV that county leadership "will be discussing an interim plan for the administration of the county clerk's office until such time as the governor appoints a temporary clerk."

"The county clerk's office remains open and continues to serve the needs of our community," Anna said. "I would like to thank Mr. Scanlan for his service to Cayuga County during his tenure as county clerk."