With roughly the same amount of local governments and land mass as neighboring Erie County, but about a seventh of the registered voters, the petitioning process to get candidates on the ballot has always been complicated in Chautauqua County.

"I always like to say Chautauqua County's Founding Fathers must've loved Democracy because we've got lots of it in Chautauqua County,” said Norman Green, (D) Chautauqua County elections commissioner.

This year the process looks to be even more difficult.

The state moved the primary election from September and June and in the process the entire electoral calendar.

"We are telling everybody that will listen that candidates have to come forward now and there's no time into the early summer to think this one over. You have to come forward and commit one way or another,” said Brian Abram, (R) Chautauqua County elections commissioner.

Green and Abram say they've been in contact with other counties across the state. They say regardless of the new rules, their job is to have an election without problems.

"We don't wanna be Florida,” said Green.

Unfortunately, with an older population, they're concerned many potential candidates, party members who would sign petitions, and the volunteers who help circulate those positions will be in Florida — or another warmer climate — for the winter.

"I've had two of our town chairs tell us that they will not be here the entire election process in 2019,” said Abram.

Another new rule requires counties to allow in-person voting for ten days prior to Election Day.

Because Chautauqua has less than 100,000 voters it's only required to have one early voting site.

"We're the largest of the under 100,000 voter counties,” said Green.

Like many rural counties, that could mean up to an hour drive for some people. So the commissioners decided to open three this year.

"We're a thousand square mile county and to suggest we be able to properly conduct early voting with just one site at the board of elections might be legal but it certainly   wouldn't be the correct thing to do for the voters,” said Green.