Joanne Cunningham
Chairwoman

Wanda Willingham
Deputy Chairwoman

Welcome to the official homepage for the Albany County Legislature. The Legislature is composed of 39 diverse legislative districts across Albany County. 

As an established female leadership team, we are honored to lead our body as Chairwoman and Deputy Chairwoman of the Albany County Legislature. 

The Albany County Legislature serves as the County's policy-making body. It is the responsibility of the Albany County Legislature to enact policies to benefit the residents in every community in Albany County from the urban and suburban centers, rural areas and small communities.

We want to hear from you about your concerns, ideas and questions as we diligently work to advance sound policy and positive change throughout Albany County. 

Albany County Legislature
Harold L. Joyce Albany County Office Building
112 State Street, Room 710 | Albany, NY 12207 | (518) 447-7168

Joanne Cunningham, Chairwoman of the Legislature
Wanda Willingham, Deputy Chairwoman of the Legislature
Necole Chambers, Clerk of the Legislature
Marcia A. Goddard, First Deputy Clerk of the Legislature

Albany County Legislature on Facebook!

Albany County Legislature on Instagram!

Legislative Calendar

Click a meeting name for additional information, including location and agendas.

You can watch our meetings LIVE on our YouTube channel, or review the saved videos afterwards at your convenience.

2026 Albany County Legislature Women's History Month Essay Contest

Contest Prompt

Rules and Guidelines

Eligibility

• Students must be residents and attend schools in Albany County.
  
  

• Students will be considered in one of three grade-level categories: Grades K–4, Grades 5–8, and Grades 9–12.

Requirements

• All entries must consist entirely of original work of the students. Essays may be checked for AI assistance and will be disqualified if AI is detected at any point. Plagiarized essays will be disqualified.
  
  
• All entries should be nonpartisan and cannot reference any candidate or political party.
  
  
• The judges reserve the right to disqualify any entry that contains language considered to be obscene, inappropriate, defamatory, or not in compliance with these rules and guidelines.
  
  
• Only one entry per student may be submitted. 
  
  
• Homeschooled students are eligible to submit an entry.
  
  
• The maximum word count is 250, with a minimum of 200. 
  
  
• All submissions must adhere to the official rules and guidelines to be considered.

Entry Submissions

• Entry period begins January 23, 2026, and ends February 13, 2026.
  
  
• Digital entries must be submitted to the Director of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs, Elena Cenko, at Elena.Cenko@albanycountyny.gov no later than midnight on February 13, 2026.
  
  
• All entries must include the name, age, grade, current school (or statement that the student is homeschooled), and contact information (address, phone number, and email) of the student submitting the essay.
  
  
• Any student under the age of 18 is required to have a parent or guardian complete the attached Parent/Guardian Consent with their entry. 

Judging Criteria

Essays will be evaluated by a panel of judges who will select three finalists using the following criteria:

• Style, Clarity, Flow
  
  
• Meaningful and Consistent Arguments
  
  
• Originality and Thoughtfulness
  
  
• Age-appropriate Expression and Organization

The panel of judges will consist of the following individuals:

• Legislators on the Albany County Legislature Women’s Caucus
  
  
• Albany County Legislature Staff

Awards

Three winners will be selected. One winner per category as shown below:

• Grades K-4
  
  
• Grades 5-8
  
  
• Grades 9-12

Ownership of Entries

All original essays submitted will become the property of Albany County and will not be returned to the entrant.

In addition, you agree to grant Albany County a non-exclusive, fully paid-up and royalty-free, worldwide license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and translate your essay entry, including without limitation, the exclusive right to distribute all or part of your entry in any media or social media formats and channels in perpetuity. 

By submitting an entry, you agree and consent to the use of your essay, name, school name, your photograph, and a photograph of your submission to be used by Albany County, in connection with this contest and its related marketing activities, in any media format or channels now known or hereafter invented, in any and all locations, without any payment to or further approval from you.

By submitting your essay, you agree that your consent is final and cannot be revoked.

By submitting your original essay, you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to the terms and conditions of these rules and to the release of liability described herein.

To Enter 

Download PDF Entry Form

Submit below or email Elena.Cenko@AlbanyCountyNY.gov.