A lack of competition, or even a lack of any candidate, is the big news of this election cycle
See the full list of candidates
By Andrew Harris
Early voting has already begun and Election Day is just over one week away. In Allegany County most elections are simply a formality, only four county-wide elections are a contest.
While unchallenged incumbencies are not rare thing in our small county elections, the number of times that “NO Candidate,” appears is unsettling. Participation in local government is a major problem for Allegany County.
In Alma, the job of Highway Superintendent is always front and center. Lawsuits, resignations, state investigations, and non-stop political discord have become commonplace in the little town, and most of that trouble involves this elected position. If voters approve, this would be the final election for the job of highway superintendent. The Proposition on the ballot asks voters to pass a new local law which will make the highway superintendent from an elected official to an appointed department head. You can read a recent Letter to the Editor on the subject here.
The town of Birdsall is holding another contested election for town justice. Dustin Gordon is running as a Republican against Roy Hanks, the “Hanks for Justice” candidate.
Granger is also voting for a town justice job. Candidates William Murphy and Todd Smith will be competing for that increasingly difficult job. Smith is the Republican on the ballot while Murphy has chosen the customized party line of “Murphy for Justice.”
The village of Angelica is only other contest in Allegany County with a choice on the ballot. Three candidates are vying for two spots on the village board. Jane Tylenda is running as a Republican, Linda Cash is the Democratic party choice, and Craig Miller appears on the ballot as both a Republican and Democrat.
Countywide, voters will be asked to make the new Sheriff of Allegany County official. Veteran lawman and currenty Allegany County Undersheriff Scott Cicirello is running for the job unopposed.
All voters will be asked to vote on a state proposition:
| Town Offices | |||
| ALFRED | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| ALLEN | Supervisor TFV Vote for ONE | Erica Torrey | REP |
| Justice Vote for ONE | William Murphy | Murphy for Justice | |
| ALMA | Justice Vote for ONE | Brent Dickerson | REP |
| Councilman TFV (1yr) Vote for ONE | Bill Cox | DEM | |
| Superintendent of Highways TFV Vote for ONE | Tom Dannheim | REP | |
| Shaun Taylor | Taylor for Highway | ||
| Proposal two, Twon Proposition one | Shall the Resolution adopted by the Town Board on July 26, 2022, entitiled “A Local Law Changing the Elected Office of Town Superintendent of Highways to Apointed Town Superintendent of Highways for the Town of Alma commencing January 1, 2025” be approved? | ||
| ALMOND | Councilman TFV (1yr) Vote for ONE | Nathan Woodruff | REP |
| AMITY | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| ANDOVER | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| ANGELICA | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| BELFAST | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| BIRDSALL | Justice Vote for ONE | Dustin L. Gordon | REP |
| Roy Hanks | Hanks for Justice | ||
| BOLIVAR | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| BURNS | Justice Vote for ONE | Taylor A. Karnes | DEM |
| Dustin L. Gordon | REP | ||
| CENTERVILLE | NO Candidate | ||
| CANEADEA | Justice Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| CLARKSVILLE | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| CUBA | Justice Vote for ONE | James W. Galatio | REP |
| Councilman TFV Vote for ONE | William Beck | REP | |
| FRIENDSHIP | Justice Vote for ONE | David M. Szucs | REP |
| GENESEE | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| Councilman TFV (3 yr) Vote for One | Thomas H. Windus | REP | |
| GRANGER | Justice Vote for ONE | Todd Smith | REP |
| William Murphy | Murphy for Justice | ||
| GROVE | Justice Vote for ONE | Dustin L. Gordon | REP |
| HUME | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| INDEPENDENCE | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Thomas Bissett | Bissett for Council |
| NEW HUDSON | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| RUSHFORD | Justice Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Randy Green | REP | |
| SCIO | Justice Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | ||
| WARD | No Town Contests for 2022 General Election | ||
| WELLSVILLE | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Jeffrey S. Ormsby | REP |
| Superintendent of Highways TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Brian Smith | REP | |
| WEST ALMOND | Supervisor TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Trevor Burt | REP |
| Clerk TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Bonnie Nelson | REP | |
| Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Mark Bainbridge | REP | |
| Proposal two, Town propostition one | Shall Introductory Local Law No.1 of 2022 entitled, “A Locak Law to Change the Office of Town Clerk from an Elective to an Appointive Office” be Approved? | ||
| WILLING | Councilman TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Peter D. Havens | Havens for Council |
| WIRT | Councilman (4 yrs) Vote for TWO | Larry Bedow | REP |
| Christie L. Miller | REP | ||
| Superintendent of Highways TFV (1 yr) Vote for ONE | Curtis A. Rung, Sr | REP | |
| Village Offices | |||
| ANDOVER | Trustee (2yrs) Vote for TWO | Melanie Thorp | DEM |
| Scott Updyke | Updyke for Trustee | ||
| ANGELICA | Justice TFV (3 yrs) Vote for ONE | NO Candidate | |
| Trustees (2yrs) Vote for TWO | Linda S. Cash | DEM | |
| Craig H. Miller | DEM/REP | ||
| Jane Tylenda | REP | ||
| WELLSVILLE | Trustee (4 yrs) Vote forTWO | Jeffrey B. Monroe | REP |
| Michael A. Roeske | REP |
