GOP challengers come out on top in Hartland, Royalton primaries

Thomas Tedesco, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Jun. 27—Change appears to be on the horizon in several towns in eastern Niagara County.

Establishment Republican candidates in the towns of Hartland and Royalton were upset by their challengers in Tuesday's primary elections, while Newfane's town board will be populated by two newcomers after the November general election.

HARTLAND

Incumbents across the ballot did not see much success in securing Republican lines on election night.

Margaret "Peggy" Zaepfel, former member of the town's Zoning Board of Appeals, appeared to have taken the Republican ballot line from incumbent Ross Annable in the supervisor race. Zaepfel snagged 323 votes to Annable's 159 votes.

In the town council races, challengers Elizabeth Neadow and Sean Walp, who received 312 votes and 300 votes respectively, bested incumbents Clifford Grant and David Hill for the GOP line. Grant and Hill won 159 votes and 171 votes respectively.

A front-and-center issue in this year's elections is EDF Renewables' proposed 350-megawatt Ridge View Solar Center that would be spread over about 2,000 acres in the town.

Zaepfel, Neadow and Walp have been linked as vocal opponents of the project. Zaepfel said the primary election results are indicative of where town residents stand on the matter.

"It's the elephant in the room and the people haven't had a voice in this issue," Zaepfel said.

Neadow echoed a similar sentiment.

"People are ready for a change," she said.

The incumbents, Annable, Grant and Hill, have the Conservative line on the November general election ballot.

"I'm disappointed more people didn't come out (to vote), but we'll be looking to move forward on the Conservative line in the November election," Annable said.

Grant declined to comment on the results of the election late Tuesday. Hill and Walp could not be reached for comment.

NEWFANE

The two town board candidates who were endorsed by the Niagara County Republican Committee, Robert Horanburg and Pete Robinson, appear to have secured the GOP lines in the November election, knocking back veteran Republican politico George Maziarz's bid to hold local office again. Horanburg received 635 votes, Robinson received 634 votes, and Maziarz received 233 votes.

Robinson said he's "humbled and honored" bu the support and votes he received from Newfane residents.

"Today we celebrate and tomorrow we go back to work," he said.

Horanburg said he looks forward to continuing to work with Robinson ahead of the November election.

"We'll keep moving forward with what we're doing and getting our message out to the people of Newfane," he said.

Maziarz could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

ROYALTON

In the contest for the GOP line in the highway superintendent election, interim highway superintendent Shawn Zglinicki bested Greg Lindke, whose candidacy was endorsed by the town GOP committee, 291-60.

Lindke has the Conservative line on the November ballot.