Politics

There are many candidates and no official Election Day set to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Chris Collins. A political newcomer threw her hat into the ring Monday in the closely-watched content.

Mayors across New York state are the latest to express concerns about the bail reform and other criminal justice law changes that take effect in January. The mayors say they don't have the resources or money to properly carry out the new laws.

Bob McCarthy has been with The Buffalo News since 1982 and a political reporter for the paper since 1992. Election Day means little sleep for him, but he still found time to talk to WBFO's Howard Riedel about his Election Day 2019 takeaways.

It's just a matter of hours now before the votes will be tallied and candidates will know who will hold office. Many are coming out for the Erie County Executive race, pitting incumbent Mark Poloncarz against challenger Lynne Dixon, but there’s been several other factors which have impacted the polls this Election Day.

A record number of women ran for office in 2018, with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leading the way in 2016. The trend has continued for 2020, with a record six candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president. In Buffalo, however, the glass ceiling seems thicker and less penetrable than elsewhere.

On the eve of Election Day, Buffalo News politics reporter Bob McCarthy says voters are seeing "really nasty ads" from both sides in the race for Erie County Executive between incumbent Mark Poloncarz and Lynne Dixon. McCarthy also weighs in on the bigger picture in the City of Buffalo and how a lack of competitive races could affect turnout. And which are the county legislature races to watch on Tuesday?

Every two years, control of the Erie County Legislature is on the election ballot, seat by seat. However, two former county executives say it may not matter.

A lot of Erie County voters took advantage of the new early voting system to cast their ballots before Tuesday's Election Day.

For the first time in nearly a dozen years, Paul Dyster is not running for Mayor of Niagara Falls. After three terms in office, Dyster decided against seeking re-election. WBFO's Chris Caya profiles the candidates vying to become the city's new mayor.

Republicans are the dominant party in Genesee County. According to Howard Owens of The Batavian, Democrats have been dispatched to a distant second and that spot is finding a challenge from the Libertarian Party, which has three candidates on this year's ballot.

Fresh from graduating from Cornell University this year, Austin Morgan earned the Democratic Party nod in the race for the vacant seat in the 57th Senate District. The native of the Cattaraugus County town of Freedom says he got into the race to help "those little towns that have been voiceless for too long."

Though Democrats control state government in Albany, Republican George Borrello says he's prepared to make a difference if he wins Tuesday's election in the State Senate's 57th district. He promises to build good relationships with other legislators from both parties, "but not lie down" while fighting for the district's interests. Borrello points to his current work as Chautauqua County Executive as a blueprint for how to work with others while achieving results for constituents. He explained his thinking during a recent sit down with WBFO in Irving, New York.

Third parties used a public hearing in Buffalo Tuesday to voice concerns New York state’s commission to get big money out of politics is actually meant to get them out of the election system.

Two majority-party state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would give customers in cafes, fast-food shops and even some restaurants the option to use their own container for coffee or water, or to bring home leftovers.

It seems increasingly likely that a special election for the western New York congressional seat vacated by the disgraced Chris Collins will be held the same day as New York’s presidential primary in April -- and that has Republicans in the state crying foul.

When Corey Lewandowski visited Western New York last week, the former campaign manager for Donald Trump carried a message of confidence the President would be reelected. Lewandowski told Buffalo News Political Reporter Bob McCarthy that the current impeachment inquiry will energize the Trump base in 2020. McCarthy says Lewandowski, despite losing his job during the 2016 campaign, remains a close Trump confidante.