61st State Senate District special election: Day 5 early voting total announced

After Sean Ryan’s swearing‑in as Buffalo’s new mayor, voters will soon decide who fills his former State Senate seat.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County Board of Elections on Wednesday released the Day 5 early voting total for the 61st State Senate District race.

There were 876 ballots cast on the fifth day of early voting across Erie County, according to board of elections commissioners Ralph Mohr and Howard Johnson. That brings the current total to 3,196 ballots.

Early voting runs through Sunday, Feb. 1. 

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This race features Republican candidate Dan Gagliardo and Democratic nominee Jeremy Zellner. The winner of the special election will replace Sean Ryan, who was sworn in as the City of Buffalo’s new mayor on New Year’s Day.

Early voting hours will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Fifteen early voting locations will be open throughout the district, including sites in the towns of Amherst, Grand Island, and Tonawanda, as well as the cities of Tonawanda and Buffalo. These communities make up the 61st Senate District.

Those early voting locations are:

Erie County Board of Elections Main Office, 134 W. Eagle St.Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Ave.Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan Ave.Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Ave.Tosh Collins Community Center, 35 Cazenovia St.Gloria J. Parks Community Center, 3242 Main St.Broadway Market, 999 BroadwaySalvation Army West Side Community Center, 187 Grant St.Delavan Buffalo Community Center, 203 Sanders RoadLovejoy Hennepin Center, 24 Ludington St.Columba-Brigid Parish, 75 Hickory St.

Amherst Senior Center, 370 John James Audubon ParkwayKenmore Municipal Building, 2919 Delaware RoadTonawanda City Hall, 200 Niagara St.Grand Island Welcome Center, 1999 Alvin Road

On Election Day — in this case, it’s Tuesday, Feb. 3 — voters must cast their ballots at their assigned polling locations. Only poll sites within the 61st Senate District will be open, and voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Participation in the special election is limited to eligible voters who reside within the 61st Senate District.

Voters seeking to confirm their eligibility, find their assigned polling place, or view a sample ballot can visit elections.erie.gov/VSearch2 or contact the Erie County Board of Elections at 716-858-8891.