Correspondent photo / Amanda Smith Poll worker Terri Games-Lees of Cortland checks in a voter at Cortland Christian Church on Tuesday. Games-Lees has been a poll worker for about four years. A special election in the city resulted in the recall of Mayor Deidre Petrosky.

CORTLAND — Voters in the city chose to recall Mayor Deidre Petrosky in a special election Tuesday by a margin of 3-to-1.

About 23.4% of the city’s 5,200 registered voters cast ballots in the special election, which had only the recall question. Of the 1,231 votes cast, 24.5% voted to retain the mayor and 75.5% voted to recall her from office.

When reached by phone Tuesday evening, Petrosky thanked the voters of Cortland for allowing her to serve, pointing out she first served on council in 1998 and then became mayor in 2020.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been able to do that,” Petrosky said. “I thank the residents of Cortland, and I am honored to have served.”

Petrosky was first elected as mayor in 2019 and was then reelected in 2023.

What happens next is set by the city charter.

“In the event of the death, resignation, recall, or removal of the mayor, council shall elect one of its members to fill the vacancy in the office of mayor until such time as a successor is elected and qualified to complete the unexpired term,” the charter states.

The other members of council will then have to appoint a temporary council person to fill the acting mayor’s council seat. The appointed temporary mayor will eventually return to their council seat after a permanent mayor is elected in the next municipal election.

Residents who petitioned for the recall said the mayor had an unprofessional way of working with council and overseeing operations of the city, and pointed to hiring controversies. Residents also said they felt she didn’t handle contracts properly.

The special election cost the city an estimated $7,000 to $10,000 to conduct.

Trumbull County Board of Elections Director Stephanie Penrose referred questions about the timing of when exactly Petrosky ceases to be mayor to the Cortland law department. Penrose said the voter turnout was strong for a special election, comparable to a partisan primary.

The results of the election are set to be certified by the board of elections at a special meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the board offices in Warren. The board also will have to examine four provisional ballots that were cast Tuesday.