The special time of year that we all look forward to is here, and now that Halloween has come and gone, people can start looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s.

Another thing that it’s time to think about is the election season. After the last election in which the United States saw President Trump reelected to a second term in office, Americans from sea to shining sea are once again learning about the importance of elections. This time around, instead of national elections that impact the Presidency and Congress, we’re voting for local, county, and state-level offices.

We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
-Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States

From Buffalo to New York City, and everywhere in between, several local offices will have a huge impact on the day-to-day lives of New Yorkers.

What Exactly Are We Voting For This Year?

You can find a complete list of all the offices to be elected here on the New York State Board of Elections website, but in summary, hundreds of important elections are happening in New York. In Western New York, for example, some of the big-name races here are:

Mayor of the City of Buffalo (4-Year Term)Sean Ryan, (Democratic & Working Families)James Gardner (Republican & Conservative)Michael Gainer (Restore Buffalo)Erie County Sheriff (4-Year Term)Erie County Comptroller  (4-Year Term)Justice(s) of the New York State Supreme Court (14-Year Term)Erie County Judge(s), Erie County Family Court Judge, Buffalo City Court Judge, and more

Erie County Board of Elections

Erie County Board of ElectionsWhat Do You Need To Know For New York State’s Local Election DayNY’s General Election For Local, County, and Other State Offices is Tuesday, November 4, 2025.Voting polls and locations throughout New York State open at 6 a.m. and remain open until 9 p.m.The voting polls will allow everyone in line to vote at 9 p.m. and remain fully staffed until everyone votes.If you don’t think you will have enough time to vote on election day because of work, New York State Law requires your employer to give you up to 2 hours of paid time off if you do not have “sufficient time to vote.”It’s too late to request a mail-in ballot, but if you already have one, you can drop it off at any voting location or at your local Board of Elections office.When you go to vote, you must vote at the polling place assigned to you.Because of the 2020 US Census, your voting location may have changed. If you don’t know where that is, you can check the NYS Elections Voter Lookup Tool here.If you live in Erie or Niagara County, you can also check their local voter look-up tools here for Erie County and here for Niagara County.Other counties may also have a lookup tool that allows you to check their websites.New York does NOT require a Voter ID to vote. You can just give your name and sign the voter check-in book.Your ID might help you check in faster, but it is NOT required.If you encounter any issues while voting, you can immediately contact the local Board of Elections. The Erie County BOE can be reached at 716-858-8891, and the Niagara County BOE can be reached at 716-438-4041 or 716-438-4040.The Office of the New York Attorney General would also like to hear about any issues you encounter: their Election Hotline Tool is here.

Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting.
-Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States & 44th Governor of New York

Western New York’s Best Memes From The Presidential Debate

These memes have been shared by Western New Yorkers following the presidential debate.

Gallery Credit: Canva Image, Getty Images, Kadie Daye