Andrew Liuzzo

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown city councilman who was unable to secure the Republican party’s nomination as a candidate for mayor in June may still appear on the November election ballot.

Members of the Chautauqua County Libertarian Party held their monthly meeting last week in Bemus Point and nominated several additional local candidates for the 2019 general election.

Among those who were chosen was Andrew Liuzzo for mayor of Jamestown. Liuzzo, who is currently a first-term city councilman at large, lost to Chautauqua County legislator David Wilfong in the Republican party primary last month.

While campaigning as a Republican candidate for mayor, Liuzzo had said that he would not be seeking any other party’s endorsement because he didn’t want to split the Republican ticket in November.

“I will not seek or accept another party line nor will I pursue an independent line. If I am not your choice I will not risk splitting the vote to let the opposition party win,” Liuzzo wrote on his Facebook page on May 4.

However, following the Libertarian party’s announced nomination, Liuzzo said he would have to consider the endorsement.

“I’m grateful for the endorsement from the Libertarian party and thankful for the support I’ve received since they made their announcement. I will take the next couple of days to discuss it with my family before I make a decision,” Liuzzo wrote on his Facebook page on July 13.

As of Monday morning he has not yet announced if he planned to accept the nomination.

In addition to Wilfong, the other mayoral candidate is Jamestown attorney Eddie Sundquist. Wilfong is also running under the Conservative party line n the ballot, while Sundquist is running under the Working Families and Independence lines on the ballot.

Current Mayor Sam Teresi, a Democrat, had announced in February he wouldn’t be seeking a sixth term in office.

Raven Mason Thompson

In addition to choosing Liuzzo as its candidate for Jamestown Mayor, the Libertarian party is also selecting Raven Mason Thompson as its only candidate for Jamestown City Council At Large. Mason Thompson had ran against Tony Dolce in the June Republican Primary for City Council Ward 2 – but was defeated.

The Libertarian party is also endorsing Dolce for Ward 2, along with Brittnay Spry for Ward 4. Both those two are also the endorsed Republican candidates for those respective offices.

Other Libertarian Party endorsements that came out of last week’s meeting include:

• Rudy Mueller for Busti Town Supervisor,
• Russell Payne for Carroll Town Supervisor,
• Dennis Welka for Dunkirk City Council Ward 1,
• Daniel Heitzenrater for Ellicott Town Council Ward 4,
• Susan Baldwin for Villenova Town Council,
• John Dudley Robinson for Villenova Town Council,
• Ron Hall for Chautauqua County Legislator District 1,
• Christopher Schaeffer for Chautauqua County Legislator District 3,
• Terry Niebel for Chautauqua County Legislator District 5,
• and Bill Ward for Chautauqua County Legislator District 18.

Previous the party had already nominated Gerrit Cain for Chautauqua County Legislator District 16 and Ryan Sanders for Sherman Village Trustee. Other potential candidates will be voted upon in August.

The local Libertarian party has a deadline of Sept. 1 to announce its candidates for the November election instead of having an April deadline like other established parties. That’s because the Libertarian is a “start-up party” and is given more time to select candidates after receiving at least 50,000 votes during last year’s gubernatorial election.

Among the key victories for the GOP on Election night was in District 11 in Jamestown, where Republican Challenger David Wilfong defeated incumbent and current minority leader Bob Whitney. The unofficial total from election night was 533 to 444.

Another key loss for democrats was in District 16, which covers the towns of Kiantone, Carroll and Poland. In that race, Republican and former legislator Ron Lemon defeated democratic incumbent Tom Erlandson by a wide margin of 1,077 to 641.

Two other democratic incumbents also loss their bid for re-election and in both cases, they lost to republican incumbents. The match-up of incumbents was the result of downsizing the legislature. In District 7, which covers the towns of Portland and Stockton, Republican John Runkle defeated Democrat Tom DeJoe. Meanwhile, in District 3, which covers the towns of Pomfret and half the village of Fredonia, Republican Bob Scudder knocked off Democrat William Coughlin.

In the other Contested races:

• District 4: Janet Keefe (D,WF,I-Fredonia) def. Michael Sullivan (R, C-Fredonia)
• District 5: Terry Niebel (R,C,I-Dunkirk) def. Susan Baldwin (D-South Dayton)
• District 10: P.J. Wendel (R,C-Lakewood) def. Sharon Lisciandro (D,I-Lakewood)
• District 12: Fred Larson (D,I-Jamestown)def. William Prieto (R,C-Jamestown);
• District 15: Lisa Vanstrom (R,I-West Ellicott) def. Sam Ognibene (D,C-Falconer)
• District 18: David Himelein (R,C,I-Findley Lake) def. Ed Carutis (D,WF-Sherman)

Legislators running unopposed were:

• District 1: Keith Ahlstrom (D,WF-Dunkirk)
• District 2: Shaun Heenan (D-Dunkirk)
• District 6: George Borello (R,C,I-Irving)
• District 8: Pierre Chagnon (R,C-Bemus Point)
• District 9: Chuck Nazarro (D,I-Jamestown)
• District 13: Paula DeJoy (D,I) Jamestown
• District 14: Mark Tarbrake (R,C,I-Jamestown)
• District 17: Jay Gould (R,C-Ashville)
• District 19: John Hemmer (R,C,I-Westfield)

There will also be elections for the downsized county legislature, which will have just 19 seats starting in January 2014, compared to the current 25 seats. In all, there will be 10 contested races for the legislature:

• District 3: Bob Scudder (R,C-Fredonia); Billy Coughlin (D,WF,I-Fredonia)
• District 4: Janet Keefe (D,WF,I-Fredonia); Michael Sullivan (R, C-Fredonia)
• District 5: Susan Baldwin (D-South Dayton); Terry Niebel (R,C,I-Dunkirk)
• District 7: John Runkle (R,C,I-Stockton); Tom DeJoe (D,WF-Brocton)
• District 10: P.J. Wendell (R,C-Lakewood); Sharon Lisciandro (D,I-Lakewood)
• District 11: Dave Wilfong (R,C-Jamestown); Bob Whitney (D,WF,I-Jamestown)
• District 12: William Prieto (R,C-Jamestown); Fred Larson (D,I-Jamestown)
• District 15: Lisa Vanstrom (R,I-West Ellicott); Sam Ognibene (D,C-Falconer)
• District 16: Ron Lemon (R,C-Frewburg); Tom Erlandson (D,I-Frewsburg)
• District 18: David Himelein (R,C,I-Findley Lake); Ed Carutis (D,WF-Sherman)

There are also three Jamestown city council seats that will contested:

• Ward I: Tara Hall (D); Brent Sheldon (R,C)
• Ward III:  Regina Brackman (D); Tamara Dickey (R,C)
• Ward IV: Marie Carrubba (D,WF,I); Richard Elardo (R,C)

For more details on this year’s race, including audio from candidate, visit www.WRFALP.com/election-2013. Information regarding all races for 2013 can also be found at www.VoteChautauqua.com.

In the Legislative District 16 Republican primary, which includes the towns of Carroll, Poland and Kiantone, Ron Lemon of Frewsburg received a total of 108 votes. His opponent, Tami Downey of Kiantone had 106 votes.

The winner for the democratic ticket in Legislature District 5 was Susan Baldwin of South Dayton. She finished with a total of 76 votes. Her opponent, Amy Farnham of Forestville, had 72 votes.

The winner of the third legislative primary race, between Republicans David Himelein and Fred Croscut, was determined Sept. 10 with Himelein getting the victory.

Highlighting today’s primary are three legislative races. They include a Democratic primary in legislative district 5, where Susan Baldwin of South Dayton will face Amy Farnham of Forestville.

There will also be two key republican primaries scheduled to take place. In Legislative District 16 former legislator Tami Downey of Kiantone will face former legislator and former county legislature clerk Ron Lemon of Frewsburg. In Legislative District 18, David Himelein of Clymer will face Fred Croscut of Sherman. Both men currently sit on the legislature but because of redistricting and downsizing the legislature, they now share the same district.

In addition to the legislative district primaries, several towns will have contested party races.  In the south county, half-a-dozen towns will be hosting a republican primary for various offices. They include the towns of Carroll, Gerry, Kiantone, Poland and Sherman. Also the town of Chautauqua is having a republican primary in all districts except district 4.  Also in the town of Chautauqua, there will be a Working Families primary in District 4.

In order to determine current major party affiliation and registration, visit www.votechautauqua.com and click on “voter lookup.” Residents can also contact the Board of Elections.

Ballots for viewing and election night unofficial results are available at: www.votechautauqua.com.

As WRFA previously reported in June, the legislature’s District 16 race, which covers the towns of Carroll, Poland and Kiantone, will feature Tami Downey (Kiantone) squaring off against Ron Lemon (Frewsburg) in a Republican primary. Incumbent Tom Earlandson is running again for the Democrats.

The District 18 race will also feature a Republican party primary as Fred Crosscut (Sherman) faces David Himelein (Findley Lake). Both men currently sit on the legislature but because of redistricting and downsizing the legislature, they now share the same district, which includes the towns of Chautauqua, Sherman and Mina.  Democrat Ed Carutis of Sherman is also running for that seat.

And two woman will be vying for the Democratic line on the ballot for the legislature’s District 5 seat, which covers four towns in the northeastern part of they county. They are Amy Farnham (Forestville) and Susan Baldwin (South Dayton). Republican Terry Niebel, a former county board of elections commissioner, is also running for that seat.

Primary day in Chautauqua County is September 10. For a complete listing of all residents who are running for office this year, visit votechautauqua.com and click the link for petitions filed for 2013 offices. You can also find more information on this year’s elections on this website.