We are down to the last four weeks of election 2025. Candidates for office this November 4th were required to file financial reports with the state Board of Elections on October 3rd. Here are the highlights (R = Raised; S = Spent; C = Cash on hand):
Mayor of Buffalo
- Democratic and Working Families candidate Sean Ryan: R- $183,306; S – $146,584; C – $60,201
- Republican and Conservative candidate James Gardner: R – $10,097; Personal contributions of $107,210; S – summary reports $114,580 spent but there are only nine identified expenditures totaling $7,371; C – $3,516
- Independent candidate Michael Gainer: There was no report on file with the BOE as of 8 pm on October 6.
This race is likely to produce considerably more cash before the end of the campaign.
Erie County Comptroller
- Democratic and Working Families candidate Kevin Hardwick (incumbent): R – $22,750; S – $11,149; C – $124,183
- Republican and Conservative candidate Christine Czarnik: R – $19,186, including a reported $5,000 from Sheriff Garcia; S -$10,166; C – $24,133
Erie County Sheriff
- Republican and Conservative candidate John Garcia (incumbent): R – $26,776; S – $52,927; C -$528,738. Reported spending includes $10,000 to Christine Czarnik but Czarnik only reported $5,000 received from Garcia.
Two state Supreme Court Justices, two Erie County Court Judges, one Family Court Judge, and one Buffalo City Court Judge position are on the ballot. All of the candidates for those offices are running unopposed.
Of the eleven seats on the Erie County Legislature there are only five contested elections. Incumbents are favored in all five elections.
There are 144 elected positions on the ballot in Erie County this year. Of those 82 (57 percent) are uncontested.
Two town supervisor races are attracting attention. Here are the campaign financials in those races:
Town of Amherst
- Democratic and Working Families candidate Shawn Lavin: R – $37,650; S – $27,932; C- $96,759
- Republican and Conservative candidate Dan Gagliardo: R – $11,427; Personal loan $15,000; S – $10,515; C – $33,345
Town of Hamburg
- Democratic candidate Robert Reynolds: R – $6,970; Personal loan – $5,000; S – $2,358; C – $9,612
- Republican and Conservative candidate Beth Farrell Lorentz: There was no report on file with the BOE as of 8 pm on October 6.
- Write-in candidate Josh Collins: R – $3,767; S – $3,580; C – $187. Collins lost the Republican primary to Farrell Lorentz.
There may only be four weeks to go but the fundraising and campaign spending with only get more intense as we approach Election Day. The next financial reports will be filed on October 24th. Stay tuned.
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