So far at least nine individuals have announced they would be seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 2018 General Election, with six of those individuals appearing in Jamestown last week to participate in Meet the Candidates forums on two separate occasions.

Those seeking the Democratic nomination include Linda Andrei (Ithaca), Max Della Pia (Owego), Rick Gallant (Corning), Ian Golden (Ithaca), Tracy Mitrano (Penn Yan), and Eddie Sundquist (Jamestown).  In addition Charles Whalen, James Clasby and John Hertzler have also said they would seek the party’s endorsement.

Candidates have to get at least 1,250 signatures from registered party members living within the district to get on the ballot. If a party member has signed a petition for a candidate, they are not allowed to sign the petition of another candidate. If that does take place, the signature with the the earlier date will count.

The dates to file designating petitions are April 9 to April 12.

If at least two of the candidates get the required number of signatures – which will most likely take place –  then a district-wide primary election will have to take place on Tuesday, June 26 to determine the party’s candidate.

Petitions can also be circulated for the other minor parties as well, such as the Working Families party, the Green Party, The Women’s Equality Party, the Independence Party, and the Conservative Party. For each of those parties, signatures from at least 5 percent of the district’s registered party enrollment total must be collected in order to have a name appear on the ballot.

Rep. Reed is seeking reelection to a fifth term in Congress and is not being challenged by any other Republican Party member.

The 23rd Congressional District covers 11 different counties and stretches from Chautauqua County in the west to Tompkins County in the east.

Ian Golden

ITHACA – A group of progressives from Tompkins County have announced their endorsement for congress in the 2018 Election.

Last week the Tompkins County Progressive Committee, a group of over 100 grass-roots activists, voted to endorse native Ian Golden of Ithaca for Congress in New York’s 23rd District. Golden is one of several individuals vying for the Democratic Party nomination to run against Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) in November.

Ithaca is the county seat of Tompkins County, which is the second most populated county in the 23rd district, next to Chautauqua County. Tompkins County also contains the largest number of registered Democrats out of any of the 11 counties in the sprawling southern tier district.

Eddie Sundquist (Jamestown)

The Golden endorsement comes on the heels of other public endorsements from Progressive Action Network of the Southern Finger Lakes (which includes Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties) as well as Tioga County Progressive Committee. Golden also finished in first place finish in the straw poll held by the Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Democratic Committees at the end of 2017.

Other Democrats vying for endorsements and the eventual party nomination include Jamestown attorney Eddie Sundquist – who won the Chautauqua County Democratic Party’s endorsement earlier this month –  along with Tracy Mitrano (Penn Yann), who won a straw poll conducted in Geneva last week.

Tracy Mitrano (Penn Yann)

Other candidates in the crowded field include Max Dell Pia (Owego), Linda Andrei (Ithaca), Rick Gallant (Corning), and Charles Whalen (Geneva).

The field of Democratic contenders this year is the largest since the creation of the newly drawn 23rd congressional district back in 2012.

The endorsement process for the county Democratic Committee leads to the June 26 primary where rank and file Democrats will vote and finalize the party’s candidate, who will then move on to challenge Reed in the November General Election.

Eddie Sundquist

MAYVILLE – Democratic Committee members in Chautauqua County have announced their endorsement for congress in the 2018 General Election.

Jamestown attorney Eddie Sundquist, the only candidate of the pool of seven to come from Chautauqua County, collected 59 percent of the ballot vote to beat out six other contenders to win the endorsement of the Chautauqua County Democratic Committee. Sundquist received the majority of votes on the fourth attempt by more than 100 committee members.

Democrats across the state’s 23rd Congressional District have been working to identify the candidate who will best challenge Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning), who will be seeking a fifth term in office.

Fellow Democratic hopefuls Tracy Mitrano (Penn Yann) and Max Dell Pia (Owego) were second and third runner ups respectively in the nomination process. Also nominated were Linda Andrei (Ithaca), Rick Gallant (Corning), Ian Golden (Ithaca), and Charles Whalen (Geneva).

Party Chairman Norman Green says the endorsement process for the county Democratic Committee is a precursor to the June 26 primary where rank-and-file Democrats will vote to finalize the party’s candidate to run in the general election.

The field of Democratic contenders this year is the largest since the creation of the newly drawn 23^rd congressional district back in 2012. In that year’s election, a total of three Democrats competed for the party’s nomination to face Reed, with the eventual winner being Ithaca’s Nate Shinagawa. There was no primary in 2014 and 2016 elections, with Democratic candidates Martha Robertson and John Plumb each having no competition from their fellow party members. In each of those three past elections, Reed was able to hold his seat.

The NY23 district extends along New York’s border with Pennsylvania from the shores of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County to the suburbs of Binghamton in Tioga County.  Of those numerous counties in the district, Chautauqua County holds the largest overall population, while Tompkins County has the most registered Democrats.