NIAGARA FALLS, NY (WKBW) — The race for mayor of the City of Niagara Falls was very close. Democratic incumbent Robert Restaino defeated Republican Carl Cain by a slim margin.
Unofficial results from the Niagara County Board of Elections show Restaino with 48.3% to Cain’s 45.5% of the vote.
"Being reelected is always difficult. There isn't a single incumbent that doesn't have to face some challenge,” reflected Mayor Restaino.
The Falls mayor says he is declaring victory and is very confident he clinched his re-election against Republican opponent Cain by just 202 votes.
“Our information is that while the results are unofficial, we were victorious,” commented Restaino.
But Cain has not conceded this race.
“By 10:30 last night, we had had a pretty good understanding of some of the demographics that had not necessarily delivered in the fashion in which they would typically deliver,” remarked Restaino.
Restaino had a tough battle against Cain. But a third candidate, Demetreus Nix, ran on the independent line, gaining more than 3 percent of the vote.
I asked the mayor if that affected his results.
“You'll find that it wasn't him that mucked it up. There were other demographic issues that mucked it up,” replied Restaino.
I headed over to an area in the heart of the city at a farmers market to talk with city voters.
“Did you vote yesterday?” Buckley asked. “Yes”, answered Leo Kilmer, Niagara Falls resident. “Do you want to say who you voted for?” Buckley questioned. “I voted for the mayor,” responded Kilmer.
The only resident who was willing to speak with me was Leo Kilmer, a lifelong Falls resident.
“Why do you think it was so close?” Buckley questioned. “I don't know exactly. There's been a lot of things going on,” replied Kilmer.
The mayor says he believes he won the race because his opponents attacked his record and presented no plan to the voters.
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“The voters understand the plan that this administration has had we made a promise to fix the fiscal house and we've done that,” explained Restaino.
For decades, the City of Niagara Falls has struggled with economic development, poverty, and crime.
Census figures show the city's population was just over 50,000 in 2010. It lost about 1,500 residents in the decade that followed.
But the mayor is quick to point out this is the second most visited location in the state.
“The name Niagara Falls is recognizable from one coast to the other coast. And yet, the investment in the city proper has lagged,” described Restaino.
I did reach out to his Republican opponent Cain who declined an interview, but he tells me he's waiting for a final count of all available ballots.
