By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – The race for Erie County Executive, control of the County Legislature and the election of the city's top fiscal watchdog are all at stake in Tuesday's election. For the latest results after 9pm, click your respective county:
The marquee contest is for Erie County Executive. First term Republican Joel Giambra is seeking re-election. His opponent is veteran Democratic politician Daniel Ward, who is currently a town board member in Amherst. Political observers say the positions of the two candidates give voters a clear choice. The two differ markedly on issues ranging from cutting taxes to promoting regionalism.
At the beginning of the year, Giambra appeared to be a shoe-in for re-election, so much so that several prominent Democrats declined the challenge the incumbent. But that's no longer true. His opposition to sharing the extra one percent sales tax with the financially-strapped city and a scandal in his highway department have brought some unflattering news coverage.
A Democratic party poll in late September found Ward in a statistical dead heat with Giambra. A later poll by Goldhaber Research showed Giambra ahead by a more comfortable margin.
Tuesday's election is significant for both the Erie County Legislature and Buffalo Common Council. The Legislature eliminated two districts, both in Buffalo, and just which party will control the smaller lawmaking body will be determined when the votes are counted. The Common Council is also getting smaller. Its at-large seats and the elected Council president were eliminated. On the ballot today are the Council's nine district seats.
But outgoing Council President James Pitts is hoping to continue his 25-year political career by running for city comptroller against Republican interim comptroller Andrew SanFilippo.