OBSERVER File Photo

If early voting results are any indication, it appears only about half of the voters who participated in the gubernatorial race last year are voting in this year’s local election contests.

In 2022, 7,064 voters participated in the early voting process. According to county Democratic Election Commissioner Luz Torres, 3,588 residents cast a vote in this year’s early voting, which closed on Sunday.

Once again, the highest place for early voting was at the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk, where 1,712 votes were cast. Second place was at the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood, where 1,022 votes were cast. At the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, 644 votes were cast and at the county Board of Elections office in Mayville, 210 votes were cast. Those are the four early voting locations.

Torres said she believes the biggest draw this year is the race for mayor in both Dunkirk and Jamestown.

In Dunkirk, incumbent Mayor Willie Rosas has chosen not to run for re-election. Kate Wdowiasz is running for mayor on the Democratic and Working Families lines, while David Damico is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

In Jamestown, Edward Sundquist is running for re-election. He is being challenged by Kimberly Ecklund. Sundquist is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines, while Ecklund is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Torres said she wasn’t surprised about the lower numbers for early voting.

“We’re thinking about 37% of the voters will turn out,” she said.

By comparison, Torres said presidential races can draw up to 80% of local voters to the polls. Gubernatorial races, too, generally have higher turnout than local races.

Statewide, in 2022 47% of voters participated in the November elections, which included the race for governor.

In Chautauqua County, out of the 27 towns, only 11 have a competitive race for supervisor, council, clerk or highway superintendent. Of the 19 county legislative districts, 11 are competitive. Of the 13 villages in the county, 10 have elections today. Of the 10 villages with elections, only three are competitive.

All residents in New York state will have the option to vote on two statewide propositions. One has to do with removal of small city school districts from special Constitutional debt limitations and the other has to do with extending sewer project debt exclusion from debt limit.

Sample ballots are available at www.votechautauqua.com.

Polls will be open today from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents who participated in early voting or who cast a vote with an absentee ballot are not permitted to vote today.

Those who have voted by absentee ballots must have their ballot postmarked by today’s date and received by the county Board of Elections by Nov. 20 to count. Torres said the reason for the 13-day delay is to ensure military ballots are accepted.