What does a stray cat named Ralphie have to do with Ontario County elections? Here's what

CANANDAIGUA, NY — For those who’ve had it with campaign lawn signs, poll numbers and candidate commercials on TV, here is an odd but fun story from eight years ago that coincidentally had ties to election night 2023.

Back in spring 2015, a stray cat by the name of Ralphie found a home in the city of Canandaigua, but the homeowner couldn't keep him. A friend of hers owned a barn in the town of Canandaigua and needed another barn cat, and so Ralphie was moved to the barn roughly three miles away.

Except that Ralphie liked the city life a bit too much and returned to the same home it left after about a week in the country. Eventually, a forever home was found for Ralphie and is said to be doing well.

What does this have to do with the election?

At the time, the homeowner was referred to as the “cat whisperer.” Today, Nancy Yacci is referred to as Canandaigua city supervisor-elect after her win for the Wards 2 and 3 seat on the Ontario County Board of Supervisors.

And the barn owner in question was David Sauter, who was re-elected to the Canandaigua Town Board on Tuesday night. Sauter was the top vote-getter among the three candidates seeking two open seats on the board.

Neither Yacci nor Sauter was in office when Ralphie was splitting time with them.

With apologies to the late radio announcer Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.

Here are a few more conventional election takeaways.

Who will be the next Canandaigua town clerk?

Now that Jean Chrisman has been elected Ontario County clerk, the town of Canandaigua must figure out who will take her place at Town Hall and take over the workload of a busy clerk’s office.

That decision will come in 2024.

The Canandaigua Town Board will appoint someone to succeed Chrisman, and that person would run in an election a year from now to serve out the final year of Chrisman’s four-year term.

Chrisman has served as Canandaigua town clerk since she was elected in November 2013.

New town supervisors in Gorham, Bristol and Naples

Come Jan. 1, a few familiar faces in their respective towns and on the Ontario County Board of Supervisors will be out of office.

Gorham Supervisor Fred Lightfoote will be succeeded by Dale C. Stell, who earlier this year won a Republican primary after Lightfoote said he was not seeking re-election.

Bristol Supervisor Bob Green will be succeeded by Fred Stesing, who ran unopposed with backing of the Democrats and Republicans for the seat.

Naples Supervisor Tamara Hicks is leaving office, but exactly who her successor may be is seemingly too close to call at this point. Democrat John Cowley was leading Republican Greg Benzlowicz, a former Geneva city supervisor, by 18 votes after the polls closed, according to election night results from the Ontario County Board of Elections.

That said, several incumbent supervisors all ran opposed in their re-election bids: Victor's Jack Marren, South Bristol's Daniel Marshall, Richmond's Daryl Marshall, Manchester's Dave Phillips and Hopewell's William Namestnik.

Another election night win for Steve Barnhoorn in Richmond

Richmond Town Councilman Steve Barnhoorn kept his streak alive on election night this year, winning his fifth race without a loss in a place where he pledged to “never forget my roots.” He was the top vote-getter of three candidates seeking two open board seats.

“I have never taken an election for granted. During my tenure on the Town Board, I have strived to do the very best job I can in representing all of the people of our town,” Barnhoorn said. “I am deeply grateful for the continued vote of confidence, and … I have never forgotten my early childhood years here in Honeoye when our family received support from the community during trying times.”

East Bloomfield Councilman Jay Mitchell: 'It was an honor to serve'

In East Bloomfield, longtime Councilmember Jay Mitchell appears to have been the odd person out in a three-way race for two open seats on the Town Board, according to Ontario County Board of Elections results.

Republican Incumbent Michelle MacMillan received 452 votes in her re-election bid and Democrat Stephen Lester, who ran unsuccessfully for supervisor in 2021, got 429 votes to Mitchell's 382 votes.

Mitchell, who said it was unlikely he got enough absentee votes to overcome the deficit, congratulated both Lester and MacMillan for their successful campaigns.

“I want to thank those who voted for me and supported me with endorsement letters and campaign sign displays,” Mitchell said. “Our Town Board efforts keep the town financially sound while making the East Bloomfield community a great place to live. It was an honor to serve the great people of East Bloomfield with some truly outstanding town government people — elected and otherwise for 14 years.”

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Ontario County NY election 2023 takeaways: Here's who won