FEDERAL OFFICES

PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

• WINNER – Donald Trump/Michael Pence (R, C)
• Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine (D, WF, WE)
• Gary Johnson/Bill Weld (I, L)
• Jill Stein/Ajumu Baraka (G)

UNITED STATES SENATE – NEW YORK STATE

• WINNER – *Charles Schumer (Brooklyn – D, WF, I, WE)
• Wendy Long (New York – R, C, Ref)
• Alex Merced (Brooklyn – L)
• Robin Laverne Wilson (Brooklyn – G)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – NY 23rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Thomas W. Reed II (Corning – R, C, I, Ref)
• John F. Plumb (Lakewood – D, WF)

STATE OFFICES

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE – 8th DISTRICT (CHOOSE TWO)

• WINNER – Daniel J. Furlong (East Aurora – R, C)
• WINNER – Mary L. Slisz (Buffalo – R, C)
• Grace M. Hanlon (Fredonia – D, WF, I)
• Lynn Wessel Keane (Orchard Park – D, I)
• Kenneth D. Schaeffer (New York – WF)

NEW YORK STATE SENATE – 57th SENATE DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Cathy Young (Olean – R, C, I, Ref)
• Lee Hyson (Frewsburg – D, WF, WE)

NEW YORK SATE ASSEMBLY – 150th DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Andrew Goodell (Falconer – R, C, I)
• Jason Perdue (Jamestown – D, WF, Ref)

LOCAL OFFICES

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY (Special Election)

• WINNER – **Patrick Swanson (Fredonia – D, WF, I, WE)
• Jason L. Schmidt (Fredonia – R, C, Ref)

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY FAMILY COURT JUDGE (Special Election)

• WINNER – Michael J. Sullivan (Fedonia – R, C, G, I)
• Sally Jaroszynski (Falconer – D, WF, WE, Ref)

Countywide Public Referendum

• VOTED DOWN – Chautauqua County Proposition Number 1: A Local Law Amending the Chautauqua County Charter,”Which Changes the Term Of Office Of Elected County Legislators From Two (2) Years To Four (4) Years?”

KEY: D – Democrat; R – Republican; I – Independence; L – Libertarian; C – Conservative; G – Green; WF – Working Families; WE – Women’s Equality; Ref – Reform.

*Notes Incumbent
**Office Holder via Appointment

• WRFA ELECTION 2016 STORIES
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: NY 23rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: NY 150th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: FAMILY COURT JUDGE

Clinton addressed a crowd of supporters on Wednesday who gathered in a New York ballroom. She said the loss was “painful and it will be for a long time” and acknowledged that the nation was “more divided than we thought.” However, she also urged supporters to give Trump a chance.

“I still believe in America and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future,” Clinton said. “Donald trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”

Still, Clinton also told her supporters that they need to continue fighting for the goals and supporting the issues that her campaign had focused on during the past year.

“Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time,” Clinton said. “So lets do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we hold dear – making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams.”

Donald Trump

Trump, meanwhile, was quiet in the aftermath of his victory and made no public appearances on Wednesday. According to staff, the president elect huddled with advisers at Trump Tower in Manhattan, beginning the daunting task of setting up an administration that will take power in just over two months. He also met with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and took calls from supporters, family and friends..

In Washington, Trump’s transition team is now culling through personnel lists for top jobs and working through handover plans for government agencies.

Trump was expected to consider several loyal supporters for top jobs, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for attorney general or national security adviser. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker were also expected to be under consideration for foreign policy posts.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged early Wednesday on word of Trump’s election, but later recovered. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.4 percent for the day in trading in New York.

World leaders congratulated Trump on his victory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a contentious relationship with Barack Obama, called the Republican a “true friend of Israel.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the U.S. and United Kingdom would remain “strong and close partners on trade, security and defense.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to reach out to the incoming American leader. Trump praised Putin throughout the campaign and advocated a closer relationship with Russia, despite Moscow’s provocations in Ukraine and elsewhere.

U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking Democratic organizations during the campaign, actions Clinton’s team saw as an indication that Putin was trying to meddle in the election. Trump notably did not accept the conclusions of intelligence officials.

# # #

Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is set to welcome his successor, Donald Trump, to the White House today.

The President will be extending an olive branch to a man he has blasted as unfit to serve as commander in chief and who led the charge to challenge the legitimacy of his own presidency.

The Oval Office meeting symbolically begins the transition of power from Obama, a Democrat who ushered in a sweeping health care law and brokered a landmark nuclear accord with Iran, and Trump, a Republican who has vowed to wipe those measures away.

Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

First lady Michelle Obama also planned to meet privately in the White House residence with Trump’s wife, Melania Trump.

Hillary Clinton (left) and Donald Trump.

NEW YORK – In an election in which there apparently were no foregone conclusions, New York proved to be one of few places where conventional wisdom held true in the presidential race: Democrat Hillary Clinton cruised to a win by popular vote with statewide Democratic enrollment on her side; Republican Donald Trump won the geographic battle of the state by picking up 46 county-level victories, primarily upstate.

Clinton received more than 4,143,000 votes in New York (nearly 59 percent), compared to trump receiving 2,637,000 (bout 37.5 percent).  Clinton’s victory in New York gave her 29 of the 228 total electoral votes she received in on Election Day.

Despite winning the popular vote in the U.S. by a margin of 200,000 – Clinton was unable to capture the 270 electoral votes required to become president, as stipulated by the U.S. Constitution.  Instead, it was Donald Trump who won the popular vote in enough states to receive a total of 279 electoral votes.  The Electoral College will cast its votes on Dec. 19.

Clinton’s small geographic pockets of victory include the counties with the largest population centers in the state (Erie County, New York City’s five counties and Albany County, to name a few), boosting her 1.5 million-vote victory over Trump in New York State.

In Chautauqua county, Trump dominated Clinton. Of the roughly 50,000 votes that were cast, Trump picked up 59 percent (29,418) of them.  Meanwhile, Clinton was able to only muster a total of 17,281, or about 35 percent. The total number of registered voters in the county for the 2016 election was 76,846, with 25,863 registered Democrats and 25,247 registered Republicans.

Donald Trump following the news that he had won the 2016 Election and will become the 45th President of the United States (Damon Winter/The New York Times)

The 2016 Election is in the books and it’s turned out to be a major victory for Republicans across the country as well as in the Southern Tier.

In the race for U.S. president, upstart Donald Trump pulled off one of the biggest surprises in election history by defeating former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump won enough support in key battleground states to tilt the total number of electoral votes his way, and by early Wednesday morning he had secured more than 270 votes – which is the minimum amount needed to win the presidency.  While Trump garnered more electoral votes, both candidates had about an equal share of popular votes with each approaching 60,000,000. The total number of votes cast won’t be known for a couple more weeks, after an official canvas of the votes as taken place and all electoral votes are counted.

REED WINS REELECTION TO FOURTH TERM

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress, Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23), was able to secure a fourth term in office after defeating Democratic Challenger, Naval Captain John Plumb (D-Lakewood).  Reed picked up just under 150,000 votes in the district, which spans the Southern Tier of New York from Chautauqua County east to Tioga County. Plumb picked up just over 108,000. The margin of victory for Reed was 58 percent to 42 percent.

“We are humbled by the outpouring of support from volunteers and voters,” Reed said following the win. “I care deeply about this place we call home. I am proud to have earned your trust. I am excited to continuing working for our families.”

“We will put our record up against anyone’s because we have always fought to make sure New York got its fair share,” continued Reed. “Thank you for standing with us.”

• LISTEN TO REED ELECTION NIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE CALL

In his concession speech, Plumb also thanked those who supported his campaign.

John Plumb

“This has been a long uphill battle, and I’m very proud to say that I’ve woken up every day of this campaign to fight on our behalf. Unfortunately, the votes have been counted and today did not go in our favor,” Plumb said during his concession speech in Jamestown.

“I’m proud to say that we ran the race I wanted to run. The race we all want our politicians to run. We ran our race with integrity and honor, and with a focus on the communities we seek to serve. Those are the values I ran our campaign with, the values that run deep in the Southern Tier, Western New York, and the Finger Lakes. Those are the principles we should always strive for no matter what challenges we face. Thank you all for supporting me throughout this journey,” Plumb added.

In Chautauqua County Reed picked up an unofficial total of 27,400 votes to Plumb’s 19,900 (also 58 percent to 42 percent), with between 3200 and 4000 absentee ballots left to be counted.

Reed was just one of 238 Republican who were elected or won reelection to the House on Tuesday, given the party a 40-member advantage over the Democrats.

Meanwhile in the Senate, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-Brooklyn) easily won reelection over Republican Challenger Wendy Long by a margin of 70.4 percent to 27.5.

Despite predictions from some national media outlets that the Democrats would take over Congress’s upper legislative chamber, the GOP was able to maintain its control and will likely have 52 members come January, to the Democrats 48 members.

YOUNG, GOODELL CRUISE TO REELECTION

Senator Cathy Young and Assemblyman Andy Goodell

The area’s two representatives in Albany also won reelection.

In the State Senate race, Cathy Young (R-Olean, 57th District) easily defeated challenger Lee Hyson (D-Frewsburg). Young received 87,000 votes from across the 57th district – which comprises all of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties, along with the southern portion of Livingston County. Hyson, meanwhile, only managed to pick up just under 18,000 votes, giving Young an 83 to 17 percent margin of victory.

Nearly half of all of Young’s votes came from Chautauqua County, where she picked up an estimated 40,000. Hyson picked up just over 8,000.

While some races are still to close to call, state GOP officials are claiming victory in maintaining control of the state senate, meaning Young will continue to serve as chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, as well as serve as one of the top ranking Republicans in state politics.

Over in the Assembly race, Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R-Jamestown) won his fourth term in office, easily defeating challenger Jason Perdue (D-Jamestown) – 35,000 to 12,200 (74 to 26 percent).

SWANSON, SULLIVAN WIN IN SPECIAL COUNTY ELECTION

Chautauqua County Acting District Attorney Patrick Swanson (D-Fredonia) won in the race to fill out the remainder of the DA’s term – which expires at the end of 2017. Swanson defeated Jason Schmidt (R-Fredonia) 25,207 to 21,447. Swanson was appointed to the DA’s office at the start of 2016 after former DA David Foley left the post to assume the role of Chautauqua County Court Judge.

In the special election for Chautauqua County Family Court Judge, Michael Sullivan (R-Fredonia) defeated Sally Jaroszynski (D-Falconer) by a margin of 61 to 37 percent. The election took place to fill out the remainder of the term of former judge Judith Claire, who retired from the post earlier this year.

COUNTY LEGISLATURE TERM LENGTH REMAINS AT TWO YEARS

Voters in Chautauqua County voted down a proposition to amend the county charter and increase the term length for legislators from two years to four years. The proposition was defeated 26,783 to 16,287 – a margin of 62 to 38 percent.

STATE SUPREME COURT RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL

And in the election to appoint two new Justices to the New York Supreme Court 8th District (which includes Chuatauqua County), the Buffalo News is reporting Wednesday that Republicans Mary L. Slisz and Daniel J. Furlong narrowly led a four-way race late Tuesday, but the outcome may depend on the districts in Erie County where ballots had not yet been tabulated.

Slisz, a Buffalo lawyer, and Furlong, confidential law clerk for retiring Justice Joseph R. Glownia, built pluralities in the seven Western New York counties outside Erie County. Both also ran for seats on the court in 2014.

Unofficial totals late Tuesday showed Democrats Lynn Wessel Keane, the Orchard Park town justice, and Grace M. Hanlon, former first assistant district attorney in Chautauqua County, ahead in Erie County by sizable margins, but it was not clear whether that would offset the vote for Slisz and Furlong elsewhere.

Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) talks with regional reporters just before midnight on Election Night, after learning that he won reelection to a fourth term in office. Reed defeated Democratic Challenger, Naval Capt. John Plumb (D-Lakewood).

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

• VIEW LIST OF CANDIDATES

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The busiest times to avoid will be 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., Noon to 1 p.m. and in the evening during the dinner hour.  All county poll sites will be open.

REGISTERED DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS EVENLY SPLIT 

According to the Board of Elections, there is a total of 76,846 registered voters who are eligible to cast ballots in the Nov. 8, 2016 General Election.

Among those registered to vote, 25,863 are Democrats and 25,247 are Republicans.

The last day to register to vote was Friday Oct. 14.  Anyone who is unsure if they are registered to vote should check their voter status by visiting votechautauqua.com and click on “Personal Voter Lookup” to access their current voting record – or they should call the Board of Elections at 753-4580.

A sample ballot for all voting districts in the county, which lists all offices up for election, can also be found at votechautauqua.com.

Chautauqua County Family Court Judge candidates Sally Jaroszynski (D-Falconer) and Michael Sullivan (R-Fredonia)

JAMESTOWN – Two regional attorneys are pointing the finger at a Jamestown attorney for allegedly influencing the rating of a Chautauqua County Family Court judge candidate by the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission.

Frewburg Attorney Sherry Bjork and Buffalo attorney Margaret Murphey recently contacted the Jamestown Post-Journal with evidence she claimed proves Jamestown attorney Ken Lasker tainted Sally Jaroszynski’s campaign and worked to influence the commission’s not-qualified rating.

Jaroszynski is a Democrat from Falconer who is running against Fredonia Attorney Michael Sullivan for the Family Court Judge seat.

Murphey – who is speaking on behalf of Jaroszynski – and Bjork reportedly provided the Post-Journal with evidence that shows Lasker was working to keep Jaroszynski from winning the race. However, Lasker’s response is that he recused himself from the committee that handed out the ratings, and as a result he played no role in what the final ratings were.

Jaroszynski received a not-qualified rating from the commission while Sullivan recived a highly qualified rating. Just two years earlier both candidates received highly qualified ratings from the commission.

Jaroszynski currently serves as justice for the Ellicott Town Court. She also served as one of the two Ellicott Town Justices between 2011 and 2015, when former court clerk Jennifer Piazza was found to have taken more than $34,000 in cash.

An audit from the office of State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, released in 2015, stated that both town justices “did not segregate the duties of the full-time Court clerk, who controlled all phases of the Court’s cash collection, recording and reporting process with minimal oversight. As a result, the full-time Court clerk was able to manipulate Court records and admitted to embezzling funds. Neither the Justices nor the Court clerks performed monthly accountabilities, and the Board did not consistently conduct, or retain anyone to conduct, the required annual audit of the Justices’ records.”

The current race for Family Court Judge comes after Judith Claire retired from the bench in June.

In 2014 Jaroszynski unsuccessfully ran for the newly created second family court judge seat, losing to judge Jeffrey Piazza in the 2014 November election. Sullivan also lost to Piazza that same year in the Republican primary.

John Plumb

LAKEWOOD – Democratic Congressional Candidate John Plumb of Lakewood has picked up another endorsement.

The Truman National Security Project announced earlier this week its endorsement of Plumb for congress.

The Truman National Project is comprised of more than 1,500 post-9/11 veterans, frontline civilians, policy experts, and political professionals. The membership believes in a strong, smart, and principled foreign policy that sees the United States leading a growing community of nations towards shared security and prosperity. The organization says it works to unite next-generation veteran, political, and policy leaders to develop and advance strong, smart, and principled solutions to the global challenges Americans now face.

In making the endorsement, Truman President and CEO Mike Breen said that as a third generation military serviceman, Plumb has displayed an unmatched commitment to veterans, and has also made a mark on America’s energy independence efforts.

Plumb is challenging Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) for his seat in the 2016 general election. Over the past two decades he’s served as a submarine officer in the Navy and later as an official at the Department of Defense. Most recently he’s served as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council and is also a Navy Reserve Captain. He graduated from Randolph High School in 1988.

Reed is an attorney and former mayor of Corning who was elected to Congress in 2010 and has represented Chautauqua County since January 2013, when redistricting created the new boundaries for the state’s 23^rd congressional district.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning) (left) and John Plumb (D-Lakewood)

MAYVILLE – The two candidates for New York’s 23rd Congressional District were at Chautauqua Lake Central School Tuesday night, Nov. 1 to participate in the second of two scheduled debates.

The forum, hosted by the Chautauqua County League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women, featured both Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning) and challenger John Plumb (D-Lakewood).

Reed told the audience that he feels the biggest challenge facing residents of the 23rd district is a lack of economic opportunity – which is something he’s been working to help bring to the southern tier since he was first elected in 2010. Plumb said that the biggest challenge facing residents is the dysfunction that can currently be found in Washington DC, and he said the Reed has shown he’s been a part of that ongoing dysfunction.

• LISTEN TO THE CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY LOWV DEBATE, FROM NOV. 1
• WATCH THE WETM DEBATE FROM FRIDAY, OCT. 28

A variety of issues were covered during the debate, including The Affordable Care Act, the Second Amendment, conservation and environmentalism, social security, and veterans’ services.

When it came to the Affordable Care Act, Reed stood by his effort to repeal the healthcare plan, which he says has failed thousands of residents in the district.

“What we’re seeing, is it’s driving people out of the healthcare insurance market because you’ve got 25 percent premium increases, which just came out the other day,” Reed said. “At the town halls I’ve been at, I’ve seen the impact of these laws. People say, ‘Tom, I can afford the deductible. I can’t afford the co-pay. I can’t afford to go see the doctor. What is so good about this law?'”

Plumb also acknowledged that the affordable care act has not worked the way it was intended, but also said that instead of repealing the law, Tom Reed and the rest of his colleagues in congress should have focused on improving it.

“My opponent has voted 63 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, with no plan to replace it or fix it,” Plumb said. “That is making it worse every single time. It’s wasting our time. It’s wasting our taxpayer dollars and you know, we’re paying him to go to congress to do thsese things. The fact is, if we had improved this thing 63 times, maybe we would be somewhere right now.”

Both Plumb and Reed also addressed the issue of the second amendment and how to deal with violent gun incidents. Plumb said that he is a supporter of the second amendment and feels that requiring universal background checks for all gun purchases doesn’t infringe on the constitutional law, nor does banning gun ownership from those who are suspected of terrorism.

Reed said that he also favors limiting access of weapons to convicted felons, but said that government should focus on the mental health associated with individuals who are capable of committing violent crimes rather than resort to universal background checks. He also took Plumb to task for failing to receive a positive grade from the NRA….

“NRA endorsed us and gave us an ‘A’ rating. My opponent didn’t even bother to fill out the questionnaire and has a question mark from the NRA. What that means to the NRA is you are openly hostile to the second amendment going forward,” Reed said.

In response, Plumb said that as a military trained sharp shooter for both pistol and rifle, and as a lifelong hunter, he believes his experience and history when it comes to firearms speaks for itself.

“I do not need to fill out a silly questionnaire to get my credentials on my ability to use and safely handle a weapon. I’ve been doing it most of my life,” Plumb responded. “The fact is, I am a strong defender of the second amendment. I’m a hunter. I’m a firearms owner. And I defend the second amendment and all of the amendments – I’ve sworn an oath to that – and I’ve been doing it for 22 years in the United States Navy.”

The two candidates also commented on their choice for president. Plumb has supported Hillary Clinton since the beginning of her bid for president, while Reed has endorsed Donald Trump since the spring. Reed said that while he doesn’t always agree with Trump, he strongly feels that choosing Clinton will take the country in the wrong direction.

“When he has said things that we disagree with, we have called him out on that and said we disagree and that’s just plain wrong,” Reed said. “But when we are talking about the Supreme Court of the United States, I can assure you Donald Trump will put Supreme Court  Justices on the Court that will do what the court should do – interpret and enforce the Constitution, not what Hillary Clinton and my opponent wants to do with his support of her: carry out a progressive agenda.”

In response, Plumb said that he disagrees with how Clinton has handled her email scandal and there are no excuses for it. But, he said she is still a far better choice than Trump.

“I’m not going to defend Hillary Clinton on the email server and the use of the server. That’s is just a terrible mistake and she should never have done that. With that said, I can not possible align myself with someone who disrespects disabled people, who mocks prisoners of war and who mocks fallen soldiers, and then boasts about sexual assault. This is not someone who should be leading the country,” Plumb said.

The two candidates addressed various issues for an hour. Both were pleased with their performances and felt the forum gave them an opportunity to highlight their platform while also illustrating why they should be elected to represent the district.

Plumb is challenging Reed (R-Corning) for his seat in Congress. Over the past two decades he’s served as a submarine officer in the Navy and later as an official at the Department of Defense. Most recently he’s served as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council. He graduated from Randolph High School in 1988.

Reed is an attorney and former mayor of Corning who was elected to Congress in 2010 and has represented Chautauqua County since January 2013, when redistricting created the new boundaries for the state’s 23rd congressional district.