Tom Reed

Bipartisan talks to overhaul the Electoral Count Act are underway in Congress.

The Washington Post reports the efforts began after former president Donald Trump issued a statement saying vice president Mike Pence could have “overturned” the 2020 presidential election.

Congressman Tom Reed said reform of the law is necessary, “It is a law that was adopted 140 years plus, I believe, ago, that is full of ambiguity. It has not been updated given the new election cycles or processes that we utilize in America. And then obviously you saw the confusion that January 6th highlighted.”

The Electoral Count Act governs the congressional certification for the election of the president and vice president.

Reed said the act needs to be brought into the 21st Century, “And make it very clear as to what is the role of Congress in regards to the electoral count, and follow the Constitution, and make that sure our statutory language in Congress reflects that of the 21st Century. And makes it clear as to exactly who makes the decision of who’s going to be the next President of the United States.”

Trump’s claim that a vice president is empowered under the law to summarily reject states’ electoral votes is heavily disputed by legal scholars and officials from both parties.

Top Republicans said they remained open to the discussions. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters the law is “clearly flawed and needs to be updated,” while Minority Whip John Thune suggested Trump’s comments could actually help forge a deal.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – A group of Republican lawmakers orchestrating an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election will reveal their strategy Wednesday during a joint session of Congress to confirm the Electoral College vote.

According to the Associated Press, Republicans leading the long-shot effort in Congress were still deciding the details of their strategy on Tuesday to overturn Joe Biden’s victory and instead hand it to current president Donald Trump.

On Tuesday morning, House Republicans met to discuss the situation and Congressman Tom Reed, a Republican who Represents Chautauqua County, was one of those in attendance. But unlike nearly 100 of his GOP colleagues, Reed explained during a conference call with media that he is against the effort, basing his decision on the Constitution.

“It is clear to me that the U.S. Constitution calls upon our election for president to be done at the state level. If there are issues of fraud, if there are issues of whether or not those elections are carried out lawfully, they are to be adjudicated at the state level. They are to be reviewed at the state level,” Reed said. “There is no state legislature that has asked us to intervene…. that being said, I will not be objecting to the state electors [from the Electoral College], based upon my commitment to the U.S. Constitution.”

Reed also announced the same decision during a virtual town hall meeting Monday night, drawing harsh criticism from many of the Republican and Conservative constituents that have supported him during his ten years in congress.

Trump’s attempt to enlist his allies to overturn Biden’s 306-232 election win is unlike anything ever attempted in modern times, and it is all but certain to fail. Biden is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20.

Congressman Tom Reed holds a conference call with the media on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020.

Tom Reed

(Left to Right) Jason Schmidt, PJ Wendel, Andy Goodell, George Borrello, and Tom Reed

It was a clean sweep for Republicans in Chautauqua County in the 2020 Election, as all GOP candidates on the ballot appeared to have won their respective races, regardless of the record number of absentee ballots that have been cast and await to be counted.

The big winners in the county-wide races were Andy Goodell (R-Ellicott) for the 150th State Assembly District, Paul “PJ Wendel (R-Lakewood) for the special election for Chautauqua County Executive, and Jason Schmidt (R-Fredonia) in the race for Chautauqua County District Attorney. Also picking up regional victories were George Borrello (R-Irving) for the 57th State Senate District and Tom Reed (R-Corning) for the New York 23rd Congressional District.

• ALL ELECTION NIGHT TOTALS IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

SCHMIDT VOTED INTO OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Jason Schmidt

For Jason Schmidt, the second time was a charm in his run for Chautauqua County District Attorney. He appears to have cruised to any easy victory over incumbent Patrick Swanson (D-Fredonia) after previously losing to the current DA in the 2016 election.

This time around, Schmidt received 29,925 votes between early voting and Election Day voting while Swanson picked up 17,122.

According to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, there remains a possible 11,926 absentee ballots in Chautauqua County that could be added to the final vote total, but even if Swanson picked up all of those votes, he still wouldn’t have enough to win.

“I’m humbled, honored, and grateful to all my supporters and so appreciative to the team of people who have stood by my side the entire time and the movement that we created. Getting into this, it was really about the community – the victims and the police. We stayed true to that and that’s really what it is all about for me,” Schmidt told WRFA on Election Night following news that he had won.

Schmidt also offered his thoughts on how he was able to win by such a wide margin on Election Night.

I think in many respects, the election was about different philosophical approaches to the office. I tried to make that clear and I wanted to define the campaign based on that. I felt there wasn’t enough emphasis being placed on prosecution and conviction,” Schmidt said. “That doesn’t mean that I want to go out there and be a hammer looking for a nail, that’s not who I am. But at the same time I feel there were a lot of people let down in many high profile cases here, and that was never lost on me. It was important that they be remembered and honored by my campaign.”

WENDEL NO LONGER ‘ACTING’ COUNTY EXECUTIVE

PJ Wendel

In the special election for Chautauqua County Executive, Wendel defeated Democratic opponent Richard Morrisroe (Dunkirk) by an election night vote of 33,633 to 13,126. Wendel had been serving as acting county executive after being appointed by the Republican-controlled county legislature at the start of this year. Previously he had served as a member of the legislature representing Lakewood and Busti along with a small portion of Jamestown. He also was legislature chairman prior to his appointment to county executive.

“I’m excited and I’m very humbled by the residents of the county who elected me for this position. I’m humbled to win by that much – that’s the voters who spoke. It’s not an appointment, that’s the residents of the county and I think that means a lot. I’m humbled to have that kind of a margin,” Wendel said.

Wendel will now serve the final year of the current term of the office for County Executive and will have campaign all over again next year, as he’s already stated that he wants to serve a full term as the county’s top executive.

GOODELL LOCKS UP 6TH TERM IN ASSEMBLY

In the race for the 150th State Assembly District, Goodell also had an insurmountable lead over his Democratic opponent, Christina Cardinale of Jamestown. Goodell received 34,627 votes on election night to Cardinale’s 12,514.

Andy Goodell

“I’m very thankful that the residents of the Chautauqua County have given me the opportunity to represent our county in the State Legislature and I’m also very thankful that my Assembly colleagues give me the opportunity to serve as the floor leader on the floor of the Assembly,” Goodell said. “That gives me the opportunity to make sure the voices, concerns and issues that are important to us here in Chautauqua County are front and center in all of our legislative proceedings. I’m excited to go back, but I’m also very mindful that there is a tremendous amount of work to do and it will take everybody’s help and cooperation as we move forward to address these serious issues.”

The win secures Goodell a 6th term in Albany after first being elected to the office in November 2010.

BORELLO WINS FIRST FULL TERM IN STATE SENATE

George Borrello will also continue representing the three southwestern-most counties of the state in the State Senate as he easily won a full two years to represent the 57th District in Albany.

George Borrello

Borrello defeated Frank Puglisi (D-Cattaraugus County) with an election night final of 78,047 to 24,940.  Borello was first elected to the Senate in a special election last year to finish the final year for the current term after former Sen. Cathy Young resigned from her post in early 2019 to take a job in the private sector.  Last year, he defeated Democrat Austin Morgan by 42,563 to 17,270.

“I am honored and grateful for the trust that the hardworking people of our region have again placed in me to represent the 57th District,” Borrello said in a statement released Tuesday night. “Over the past year, we’ve faced the unimaginable challenges of a global health emergency and a devastating economic crisis…. The COVID-19 challenge has exacerbated many existing issues and failures of our state government, which has further energized the need for change. That will be the starting point for our efforts. We must now set aside the politics and work to face the tough road ahead. I vow to continue working to advance our recovery and fight against the extreme, politically self-serving agendas that undermine our security, ignore our shared values, and prevent us from realizing our fullest potential.”

REED DEFEATS MITRANO IN REMATCH OF 2018 RACE

Tom Reed

In the race for the 23rd Congressional district, Republican incumbent Tom Reed defeated Democratic Challenger Tracy Mitrano (Penn Yan) with an election night total o 160,131 to 90,959. It’s not known how many absentee ballots remain to be counted throughout the district but it is likely that there are not enough outstanding to give Mitrano an opportunity for a come-from-behind victory.

It was the second time in as many elections that Reed squared off against and defeated Mitrano.

GREENAN WINS SUPREME COURT RACE

There was also a race for State Supreme Court for the eight counties making up the Eight Judicial District. In that race, Republican candidate Gerald Greenan III defeated Democrat Amy Martoche 246,688 to 181,674. Again, the total number of absentees that remain to be counted are not available at this time, but the Greenan has a likely insurmountable lead over Martoche.

The final vote totals for each race won’t be known until later this month after all absentee ballots are opened and counted and then the canvasing of all votes takes place to provide an official, final result.

WRFA’s Jason Sample talked on Monday with Norm Green, Chautauqua County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020 to get an update on voting numbers for the 2020 Election.

To say this is a unique election year would be an understatement. In addition to an especially polarizing race for president, the year has also been dramatically impacted by COVID-19, so much so that record-breaking early voting and absentee voting have already taken place across the country, including here in Chautauqua County.

According to the Chautauqua County board of elections, over 14,200 Early Voters PLUS more than 9,500 Absentee voters have return ballots. That mean of the estimated 55,000 votes expected for this year in Chautauqua county, nearly 45% have already been handed in.

That’s a trend that is taking place across the country, where 92 million Americans had voted as of Sunday – about two thirds of the total voter turnout for the 2016 presidential election. These votes represent about 43% of registered voters nationwide.

The massive early voting numbers suggest a high level of enthusiasm for voting this year, despite the obstacles of a pandemic.

Norman Green

The number only involves counting votes and absentees that had been received through the end of the day, Monday.
Early Voting Ballot Totals for the past three days include:

• Saturday – 1372
• Sunday – 1191
• Monday – 4480

There’s also been 8433 absentee ballots returned.

The combined total for Early Voting or Absentee ballots returned is 12,913 – accounting for 23% of the expected voter turnout for this year in the county.

Early voting continues at three locations this week in the county, including the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood.
FOr more information visit www.VoteChautauqua.com.

Individuals issued quarantine or isolation orders by the local health department will not be allowed to leave their place of isolation to cast a ballot at the polls.

An absentee ballot may be requested by phone, fax, email, or USPS on or before Tuesday, October 27. To request a ballot, call 753-4580 or visit VoteChautauqua.com.

After Oct. 27 a person can request an absentee ballot by filling out the absentee ballot application form found at VoteChautauqua.com and allowing an agent to bring it to the Board of Elections to process the ballot request and to return with a ballot.

Such requests may be initiated right up to and including Election Day.

Additionally, residents may participate in early voting, which is running now through Sunday November 1 at the Board of Elections Office in Mayville, the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood, and at the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk.

If you have questions about voting, call the Chautauqua County Board of Elections at 716-753-4580 or visit VoteChautauqua.com.

Early voting in Chautauqua County and the rest of New York State will begin on Saturday with three separate polling sites in the county.

Early voting will be conducted at the Board of Elections office in Mayville; the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood; and the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk. Hours on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and Oct. 25, along with Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. are from Noon to 5 p.m. Weekday hours will run from Noon to 8 p.m next Monday and Tuesday, and also 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

There will be no voting taking place on Monday, Nov. 2, to allow the board of elections time to prepare for Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. For election day, all poling sites across the county will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Whether voting in person early, or waiting until election day, all voters will be asked to wear a mask when entering the polling location and also respect social distancing.

This year there are over 79,500 active registered voters in the county, an increase of nearly 3,000 from just last year.

For more general information about voting this year, visit the board of elections website at VoteChautauqua.com or call 716-753-4580.

A debate between the two 2020 candidates for Chautauqua County District Attorney – Patrick Swanson and Jason Schmidt. Moderated by WRFA’s Jason Sample with questions provided by media panelists Terry Frank of WJTN Radio and Justin Gould of WNY News Now. Recorded Oct. 15, 2020 at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, NY.

Video stream of debate also available at the WRFA Youtube channel.

A debate between the two 2020 candidates for the special election of Chautauqua County Executive – PJ Wendel and Richard Morrisroe. Moderated by WRFA’s Jason Sample with questions provided by media panelists Terry Frank of WJTN Radio and Justin Gould of WNY News Now. Recorded Oct. 15, 2020 at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, NY.

Full video of debate also available at youtube.

Richard Morrisroe (Left) and PJ Wendel