After Months of Campaigning, Primary Day is Here for Congressional Candidates

The five candidates who will appear on the 2018 Democratic Party primary ballot for the NY 23rd Congressional District: Top, L to R – Linda Andrei, Max Della Pia and Ian Golden; Bottom, L to R: Tracy Mitrano and Eddie Sundquist.

Five states across the country are holding congressional primaries today, including here in New York State.

Locally, the focus will be on the Democratic Primary for the 23^rd Congressional District, which covers several counties across the Southern Tier, including Chautauqua (along with Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Yates and parts of Ontario and Tioga).

• RELATED: COMMUNITY MATTERS – THE FIVE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR NY 23

The crowded field of candidates includes Jamestown attorney Eddie Sundquist, along with retired cardiologist Dr. Linda Andrei of Ithaca, college administrator and educator Tracy Mitrano of Penn Yann, retired air force officer Max Della Pia of Owego, and business owner Ian Golden of Ithaca.

According to Chautauqua County board of elections, a total of 25,032 Democrats in the county are eligible to vote today.  The winner of the primary will move on to face incumbent Tom Reed (R-Corning).

Polls are open Noon to 9 p.m., but election officials say the busiest times to avoid will be noon to 1 p.m. and in the evening during the dinner hour. All county poll sites will be open.  Voters who have not moved will vote at the same site as last year.

WOMEN’S EQUALITY PARTY PRIMARY

There is also an opportunity to ballot for the Women’s Equality Party, with 30 residents in the county registered in that party. Mitrano will be the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot, though voters will have the option to write-in any other candidate’s name if they chose. About 200 voters are registered with the party across the 23rd district.

Republicans and all other political parties or non-affiliated voters have nothing to vote for at this Primary election.

District wide results will be available at Elections.ny.gov.

NY 23 DISTRICT: The NY 23 Congressional District, containing: Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates Tompkins and Seneca counties – along with a portion of Ontario county.