A look at the upcoming election season, race of interest
A COLUMN By Clayton “Tiger” Hulin
I should begin by saying this plainly: I grew up with Shannon Harding. We are good friends. Though I now live just over the county line in Cattaraugus County, Belmont will always feel familiar to me. For most people who grew up there, Shannon was everyone’s good friend. Still is, I imagine.
What I remember most is the laugh. That unmistakable laugh. Since she was usually laughing, it became part of the town’s birdsong. You heard it often enough that you stopped noticing it as something separate. It was simply there, part of the atmosphere.
Now she is running for Belmont Village Trustee.
That alone makes this off-season election cycle interesting. Local races have a way of being personal. They are not abstract debates. They are neighbors asking neighbors for trust.
And Shannon is not the only race drawing attention.
The County Judge contest in Allegany County features Dawn Wildrick Cole, Allison Carrow, and Wellsville attorney Gerald Driscoll, all seeking the position being vacated by the retirement of Judge Terrance Parker. Three candidates competing in a Republican primary for one judicial seat is notable. What distinguishes them? Is it experience, judicial philosophy, temperament, or approach to the bench? Those are the kinds of questions voters deserve to hear answered clearly.
The Republican Primary is June 23, and that alone ensures this will not be a sleepy political season.
It would not be right to talk about this election cycle without mentioning Sheriff Scott Cicirello. As of this writing, no opponent has stepped forward. Anyone considering it would appear to have their work cut out for them. Many residents have seen him on social media leading his officers and deputies in martial arts training. Those clips project discipline, respect, and control. In a county this size, perception and leadership style carry weight.
Beyond Allegany County, the congressional race in New York’s 23rd District is beginning to take shape. Congressman Nick Langworthy faces a potential Republican primary challenge from Jim King of Owego, who is currently working to secure the required signatures to appear on the June ballot. King has positioned himself as a moderate Republican calling for stronger constitutional checks and balances.
On the Democratic side, Aaron Gies has declared his candidacy and has begun receiving party endorsements within the district. Healthcare affordability and cost-of-living concerns appear to be emerging as early dividing lines in that race.
And Cattaraugus County will not be left out of the conversation.
With County Court Judge Moses Mark Howden reaching mandatory retirement age this year, that open judicial seat will be one of the most significant races on the ballot. Public Defender Darryl Bloom is expected to receive the Republican endorsement and file petitions for the Republican and Conservative lines.
County Clerk Darrell Klute is seeking re-election to a second term, again on the Republican and Conservative lines. The clerk’s office, often overlooked, plays a vital administrative role in county operations. It is also the gateway to public records.
As a journalist who has filed Freedom of Information requests and exchanged correspondence with the clerk’s office over access matters, I have come to appreciate just how central that role is. Transparency does not begin in the courtroom or the legislature. It begins with records. How those records are handled, processed, and released matters more than many voters realize.
The term of Coroner Cleon Easton III also expires this year, and he is expected to seek re-election.
Taken together, these contests suggest that even in what is technically considered an off-season year, this region is positioned for a meaningful political cycle. These offices are not ceremonial. They shape daily life in real ways, from village policy to courtroom decisions to public safety to representation in Washington.
There are undoubtedly additional candidates and local races that will emerge in the weeks ahead. If you are running for office anywhere in this region, consider this an open invitation. We intend to be in contact, most likely in writing, but if you prefer an in-person conversation, that can be arranged as well. We welcome outreach from any campaign that wishes to share its priorities and positions.
Elections deserve more than slogans and yard signs. They deserve clarity, and voters deserve to hear directly from those asking for their support.
After all, this is what democracy in an experimental republic is supposed to look like.
Clay Hulin is Belmont native, a registered nurse, and writes about a variety of subjects for the Sun. You can reach him anytime, claymation_88@yahoo.com
