Today I filled out my absentee ballot for the electing this Tuesday and will give the rundown of who I voted for and why. If you have any comments, questions, or would like me to justify or debate my choices leave a comment or email me. No matter who you support or don't, you should get out and vote this tuesday. Polls are open until 9 at night. Make your voice heard.
Before I get to who I voted for, I will address the Buffalo Mayor's race. Regrettably, I cannot vote in the race yet as I do not yet live in the city proper. But the importance of the Buffalo mayor's race cannot be overlooked. For the first time, in a long time, we will get a chance to have a choice and elect someone who is not an incumbent (I still think the Republican were cowards for not running anyone against Masiello last time). This race will determine the direction of the city in the next critical 4 years when it is undergoing the changes of the control board. It is vital we elect someone who sets out a strong vision for the city.
It is for this reason that I made my first ever political contribution this month to his campaign and why I strongly support Kevin Helfer for mayor. Buffalo has been plagued by mayor after mayor with no strong vision or strong stances on issues. They all have been spineless cowards who do nothing but hold a press conference on how bad something is after the Buffalo News runs a story on it. Brown follows that tradition of status quo. He plays it safe and doesn't want to shake things up. Buffalo needs someone to shake things up and Kevin Helfer will do just that. For more info, here is a Helfer podcast
on Buffalo Rising
which has done a good job covering the race if you want to read up more about it. Nancy Naples has also endorsed him
as has the Buffalo News.
)
On to the other races. I voted for the following and on which party line:
Justice of the Supreme Court:
Write-in: Blank. (New York State's system of electing supreme court justices is corrupt and requires candidates to suck up to party leaders and make donations. I will not vote for any endorsed candidate until it is reformed)
County Judge:
Independence: Shelia A. DiTullio (co-endorsed by all parties. I like to vote for judges on the independence line. I know it is a party. Maybe I should just write in for judges next time)
Sheriff:
Independence: Charles T. Fiermasca Jr. (co-endorsed by Democrat. Many of Tim Howard's top administrators have take home vehicles and recieve lots of money over their base salary. Fiermasca on Howard's policy "Four or five chiefs at a Buffalo Bills football game getting nine or 10 hours overtime is absolutely theft as far as I'm concerned." I have to agree and support his fiscal responsibility. For more info here is the buffalo news story on their debate
)
County Comptroller:
Republican: John J. Canavan (co-endorsed by Reform. A position near and dear to my heart. Canavan said the magic words that got him my vote - performance measures. What the system does is require that departments be accountable for what they spent with results. It is something that I am study and working on and is a great idea, so I strongly support it. For more info on the race:
)
County Legislator:
Republican: Brian H. Krauss (co-endorsed by Conservative and Reform. I am proud to be in a district with one of the more visible county legislator races and as Erie County's fiscal crisis has shown, these legislators are vital to the success or failure of the county. I intially was going to vote for Marinelli because she gave the unheard objection to the adoption of the bs budget, but once I read that Krauss is an accountant, he had to get my vote. I am a technocrat fan and the county could clearly use someone who knows how to add and subtract. For more info on the race
)
Town of Tonawanda Councilman:
Republican: Joseph M. Shiah, Raymond E. Sinclair, and David H. Rider (co-endorsed by Conservative. On town elections I tend to support conservative candidates, especially in a town like tonawanda where there are few social services, in an effort to keep the government small and with no reason to not vote for them, they get my vote)
Town of Tonawanda Superintendent of Highways:
Republican: Bradley A. Rowles (Co-endorsed by Independence and Conservative. There is no other candidate, so he wins)
That is all. Remember to vote.
-Jesse
The scary thing about Giambra is that he was a deomocrat and some then when he ran for reelection was on the rupublican ticket. Who switchs sides like that, it is insane. I'm not to sure about this Bryon guy as mayor. He is certainly going to shake things up, I just hope for the better.
Wow... good find!
I'm a little scared that the election gave so many seats to the democrats. at first I was glad to see the republicans loose, especially considering our mayor and county executive (not to mention the president) are republican and they havn't done much good. but I'm getting increasingly worried about having too much power concenterated in the democratic machine.