Popularity of early voting continues to grow
Popularity of early voting continues to grow
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Residents take time to vote in Dunkirk on Tuesday morning.
For updated results from Tuesday’s local contests visit observertoday.com
OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Residents take time to vote in Dunkirk on Tuesday morning.
For updated results from Tuesday’s local contests visit observertoday.com
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More people are casting their votes before the official Election Day.
According to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections website, a total of 11,135 people cast an early ballot for the 2026 election.
Polls closed Tuesday night around 9. See observertoday.com for updated results.
Typically the gubernatorial race is the second-most popular race statewide, second only to the presidential race.
In 2022, 7,064 people voted early, the last time the governor was on the ballot. There was no early voting in 2018, as early voting began in the state in 2019.
Early voting this year also far surpassed last year, when 3,939 votes were cast. There were no state or federal offices up in 2025.
This year there were four voting sites - the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds, the Celoron Community Center, the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Board of Elections office in Mayville. The fairgrounds was the most popular with 5,022 votes cast, followed by the Jackson Center with 2,723 votes cast, then the Celoron Community Center with 2,205 votes cast and the Board of Elections office with 1,185 votes cast.
Previously the Board of Elections had utilized the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood but substituted the Celoron location this year.
New this year, counties, towns and select villages are having their elections. Previously those races were held in odd numbered years, but the state Legislature moved those races to even years, when the governor or the president are up for election.
While the Chautauqua County Legislature has a number of contested races - 13 out of 19 seats, plus a competitive Family Court race, the number of other local races is down.
There are 24 races among 17 towns in Chautauqua County. Only one of them has a contested race - Kiantone Town Clerk.
There are 13 races among seven villages. The only competitive races on the ballot are for four candidates running for two Silver Creek trustee seats. There are also two write-in candidates seeking mayor against the incumbent who is listed on the ballot.
But even though early voting has increased by nearly 58% comparing 2022 to this year, early voting for the presidential race is still higher. In 2020, there were 14,279 votes cast and in 2024, 17,046 registered voters participated in early voting.