BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Though the general election is coming up on Tuesday, November 2, polls are already open for early voting across New York State. The early voting period will continue through Sunday, October 31.
Before heading to the polls, voters can check their registration status, look up polling sites, and see who will appear on their ballot using the New York State Board of Elections voter lookup tool.
7 Eyewitness News has compiled a list of the major races and proposals that will appear on Western New Yorkers' ballots this election day.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following list includes only major races on general election ballots in Western New York. These are limited to countywide positions or single-role positions (e.g. town supervisor, town judge) on the municipal level. Municipal council positions have not been included to maintain the list's ease of use. Unopposed races are also omitted.
Statewide Ballot Proposals
Proposal One: "The purpose of this proposal is to amend the portions of Article III of the New York Constitution that relate to the way district lines for congressional and state legislative offices are determined."
Proposal One would change the 2014 state constitutional amendment that created a redistricting commission. Among other changes, the proposal would freeze the number of state senators at 63, its current number. It would also require state assembly and state district lines be based on a total population that includes non-citizens and Native Americans in situations where the federal census fails to count them.
Proposal Two: "The proposed amendment to Article I of the New York Constitution would establish the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment."
Proposal Two add "the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment" to the state's Bill of Rights.
Proposal Three: "The proposed amendment would delete the current requirement in Article II, § 5 that a citizen be registered to vote at least ten days before an election and would allow the Legislature to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than ten days before the election."
Proposal Three would remove the existing text of the New York Constitution that requires a citizen to be registered to vote at least ten days before an election. If removed, the Legislature would be able to draft and enact new laws allowing citizens to register less than ten days before an election and still vote in that election.
Proposal Four: "The proposed amendment would delete from the current provision on absentee ballots the requirement that an absentee voter must be unable to appear at the polls by reason of absence from the county or illness or physical disability."
Proposal Four would remove text currently in the New York Constitution that requires absentee voters provide a reason for needing to vote by absentee ballot. Currently, voters must either expect to be absent from their county of residence on Election Day or unable to appear at their polling site "because of illness or physical disability" in order to qualify for an absentee ballot.
Proposal Five: "The proposed amendment would increase the New York City Civil Court’s jurisdiction by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current jurisdictional limit of $25,000."
Proposal Five would change text in the New York Constitution to double the limit in New York City Civil Court from $25,000 to $50,000.
Erie County
City of Buffalo Mayor
India B. Walton (D)
Write-in candidates: Mayor Byron Brown (i), Ben Carlisle, Jaz Miles
Erie County Sheriff
Kimberly Beaty (D)
Theodore DiNoto
John Garcia (R)
Karen Healy-Case
Erie County Comptroller
Lynne Dixon (R, C)
Kevin R. Hardwick (D, W)
Erie County Legislator - District 4
John A. Bargnesi Jr. (D, C, W)
Skip Kowal (R)
Erie County Legislator - District 5
Jeanne M. Vinal (D, W) (i)
Richard C. Wilkinson (R, C)
Erie County Legislator - District 6
Christopher Greene (R, C) (i)
Ronald Shubert (D)
Erie County Legislator - District 7
Timothy J. Meyers (D, W) (i)
Michael J. Zachowicz (R)
Erie County Legislator - District 9
Frank M. Bogulski (R, C)
John J. Gilmour (D, W) (i)
Erie County Legislator - District 10
Joseph C. Lorigo (R, C) (i)
Peter A. Schwan (D)
Justice of the Supreme Court
Frank Caruso
Grace Hanlon
John Licata
Raymond Walter
Alden Town Supervisor
Dean W. Adamski (C) (i)
Brett A. Sitzman (R)
Alden Town Clerk
Aleicia E. Barrett (R)
Leeza M. Brown (C)
Amherst Town Supervisor
Jay DiPasquale (R)
Brian J. Kupla (D, C, W) (i)
Colden Town Supervisor
Peter J. Baker
James P. DePasquale (R, C) (i)
Concord Town Justice
Leslie J. Gibbin (R, C, W) (i)
Ashley Rae Lowry (D)
Hamburg Town Supervisor
Randall A. Hoak (D, W)
Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr. (R, C)
Marilla Town Supervisor
Matthew Dolegowski (R, I)
Earl Gingerich Jr. (C) (i)
Orchard Park Town Supervisor
Eugene L. Majchrzak (R, C)
Daniel A. Teplesky (D, W)
Orchard Park Town Justice
Charles A. Messina (W)
Edward A. Pace (D, R, C)
City of Tonawanda Mayor
Rick Davis (D, W) (i)
John L. White (R, C)
Allegany County
(All legislator districts are "vote for any three.")
Allegany County Legislature - District 1
Kevin Fred Demick (R)
Shane Enders
Nic Gunning (D)
Philip Stockin (R)
Jennifer Ricketts Swales (R)
Bridgette A. Tojek
Brian S. Webb (D)
Allegany County Legislature - District 3
Adam Cyr (R)
William G. Dibble II (C)
Dwight R. Fanton (R, C)
Debra A. Root (R, C)
Allegany County Legislature - District 4
Gary Barnes (R)
Steven Havey (R)
Kevin LaForge
James Rumfelt (R)
Allegany County Legislature - District 5
Janice L. Burdick (R)
Philip Curran (R)
Dusin Gordon
William Brooke Harris (R)
Ly A. Kesse (D, W)
Allen Town Clerk
Deb Payne
Jame VanDewalker
Alma Town Supervisor
Steve Dickerson Sr. (R)
Shaun Taylor
Ronald R. Staedt, Jr.
Alma Town Clerk
Michelle J. Staedt (C)
Heather Trask (R)
Almond Town Supervisor
Charles E. Gaynor (D)
Daniel P. Hegarty (R)
Belfast Town Supervisor
David Cox (D)
David E. Jennings (R)
Birdsall Town Supervisor
Timothy Carr (R)
Alex Person
Rushford Town Supervisor
Charles P. Bliss (R)
Cal Champlin (i)
Cattaraugus County
Freedom Town Supervisor
Dustin E. Bliss (D)
Geoffrey G. Milks (R, C)
Lyndon Town Supervisor
Donald Hall (R)
Barbara Montante (D) (i)
City of Olean Mayor
William J. Aiello (R, C) (i)
Gary W. Harvey, Jr. (W)
Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 1
Marcus S. Buchanan (D)
Kevin J. Muldowney (R) (i)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 3
Robert E. Dando Jr. (D, WF)
Bob Scudder (R, C) (i)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 4
Susan Parker (D)
Christine Starks (W) (i)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 8
Pierre E. Chagnon (R, C) (i)
Scott F. Humble (D)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 11
Robert W. Whitney Jr. (D, W) (i)
David E. Wilfong (R, C)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 12
Heather J. Fagan (D)
Elisabeth T. Rankin (R, C) (i)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 16
Gerrit R. Cain (L)
John D. Davis (R, C) (i)
Chautauqua County Legislature - District 18
Bill Ward (D, W) (i)
Martin J. Proctor (R, C)
Carroll Town Supervisor
Russell L. Payne (D, R) (i)
Laura Smith (W)
Kiantone Town Justice
Robert C. Buchanan (R, C)
Mindy N. Ostrander (R, C) (i)
Silver Creek Mayor
Jeffrey G. Hornburg (R) (i)
Warren M. Kelly (D)
Genesee County
All major races have candidates running unopposed. Check your ballot for municipal races.
Niagara County
Niagara County Court Judge
Michael E. Benedict (D, W)
John J. Ottaviano Jr. (R, C)
Niagara County Legislature - District 1
Joseph S. Conti III (D)
Irene M. Myers (R, C) (i)
Niagara County Legislature - District 2
Jamie L. Symmonds (D, W)
Rebecca J. Wydysh (R, C) (i)
Niagara County Legislature - District 3
Mark J. Grozio (D, W) (i)
John L. Sczepczenski (R, C)
Niagara County Legislature - District 4
Jeffrey Elder (D, W)
Owen T. Steed (C) (i)
Niagara County Legislature - District 6
William D. Kennedy II (D, W)
Christopher P. Voccio (R, C)
Niagara County Legislature - District 7
Daryl T. Bodewes (D, W)
Jesse P. Gooch (R, C) (i)
Niagara County Legislature - District 9
Randy R. Bradt (R, C) (i)
Joseph J. Kissel (D, W)
Niagara County Legislature - District 13
Richard E. Abbott (R, C, W)
Anita Mullane (D) (i)
Niagara County Legislature - District 14
Sara L. Beilein Capen (D, W)
Shawn A. Foti (R, C)
Hartland Town Justice
Linda L. Ark (D, W)
James L. Minner (R, C)
Newfane Town Supervisor
Troy D. Barnes (D)
John Syracuse (R, C)
North Tonawanda Mayor
Robert E. Pecoraro (R, C)
Austin J. Tylec (D, W)
North Tonawanda Clerk
Donna L. Braun (R, C) (i)
Gregg R. Schnitzer (D, W)
Pendleton Town Supervisor
Joel M. Maerten (R) (i)
Kathleen A. Saunder (C)
Wilson Town Justice
Maria T. Evans (R)
Nancy M. Schaal Simmons (D, C)
Orleans County
Barre Town Supervisor
Sean P. Pogue (R) (i)
Gerald Solazzo
Carlton Town Clerk
Dori Goetze
Karen A. Narburgh (R, C) (i)
Ridgeway Town Clerk
Hannah Hill (R)
Laurie Kilburn (C)
Wyoming County
Castile Town Supervisor
Edwin J. Gozelski Sr. (R)
Stanley R. Klein (I) (i)
Eric S. Parker (R)
Warsaw Town Clerk
Constance Plattner (D)
Cathy M. Smith (R) (i)
