What to know about the Buffalo mayoral primary election as polls open
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo residents will head to the polls on Tuesday for the Democratic primary for the Buffalo mayoral election.
Five candidates are still in the race: acting mayor Chris Scanlon, State Senator Sean Ryan, University District Councilman Rasheed Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire commissioner Garnell Whitfield and former state assembly aide Anthony Tyson-Thompson.
Fact-checking attack ads in Buffalo Mayor's race
This year Buffalo will elect a new mayor for the first time since 2005. Former mayor Byron Brown stepped down as mayor in October 2024 after nearly two decades in office to become the CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting. Scanlon, the Common Council president at the time, was elevated into the mayor role.
Polls across the city open at 6 a.m. and remain open until 9 p.m. To find a list of polling locations, click here.
See News 4's full election coverage
WIVB News 4 will publish live election results beginning at 9 p.m., which will be available here.
Scanlon and Whitfield have filed petitions to run independent campaigns, according to the Erie County Board of Elections. Ryan has filed a petition with the Working Families Party.
Ryan earned the endorsement of the Erie County Democratic Committee in February.
Primary races to watch that aren't Buffalo mayor
The Republican party will not be holding a primary election for the mayor's race. Their endorsed candidate is James Gardner, a former assistant district attorney and law clerk for Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case. He unsuccessfully ran for Erie County District Attorney last year, losing to Mike Keane.
The general election will be held on Nov. 4.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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