Potential contests seen in two Lockport-based county legislative districts

Benjamin Joe, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 11—All 15 seats in the Niagara County Legislature are to be filled by election in November, and in two of three Lockport-based legislative districts, it looks as though bona fide contests are coming.

According to the Niagara County Board of Elections, as of 5 p.m. Monday, the last day on which prospective candidates for office could turn in their nominating petitions, both major parties are fielding candidates in the 12th and 13th legislative districts.

In the 12th district, incumbent legislator Will Collins has petitioned for the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, and Carla Speranza has petitioned for the Democratic and Working Families Party lines.

In the 13th district, incumbent legislator Rick Abbott has petitioned for the Republican, Conservative and Working Families lines, and Bernadette Smith, the principal of Aaron Mossell Junior High School, has petitioned for the Democratic and Working Families lines.

The board of elections' listing of petitions received as of Monday shows that in most other county legislative districts, only incumbents have signaled intent to run in the fall. There are a few exceptions:

—In the Niagara Falls-based 3rd Legislative District, Chris Mattice has petitioned for the Democratic and Working Families lines, and Chris McKimmie has petitioned for the Republican and Conservative lines. Incumbent Niagara County Legislator Mark Grozio has decided not to run after 10 years retaining the seat.

—In the Niagara Falls-based 6th Legislative District, incumbent Chris Voccio has petitioned for the Republican and Conservative lines, and Gaelan Baillie has petitioned for the Democratic, Conservative and Working Families lines.

—In the North Tonawanda-based 9th Legislative District, incumbent Randy Bradt has petitioned for the Republican and Conservative lines, Tim Osborn has petitioned for the Democratic line, and John Barone has petitioned for the Working Families line.

In eastern Niagara County, Republican primary elections are a possibility in the towns of Hartland, Lockport and Somerset.

In Hartland, incumbent Ross Annable and Margaret "Peg" Zaepfel both have petitioned for the GOP ballot line in the town supervisor election. Annable also petitioned for the Conservative line. In the race to fill two town board seats, incumbents Cliff Grant and Dave Hill and newcomers Elizabeth Neadow and Sean Walp all petitioned for Republican lines. Grant and Hill also petitioned for Conservative lines.

In Lockport, incumbent Mark Crocker and David Mongielo have both petitioned for the GOP line in the town supervisor election. Crocker also petitioned for the Conservative line. In the race to fill two two board seats, Richard Zimmerman is petitioning for a Republican ballot line alongside incumbent board members Tom Keough and Paul Siejak. The incumbents also petitioned for Conservative lines.

In Somerset, incumbent Jeff Dewart and Larry Dent have both petitioned for the Republican ballot line in the town supervisor election. Dewart also petitioned for the Conservative line.

According to the board of elections, mailed nominating petitions are still being processed, provided the postmark date is no later than April 10.