[BN] Politics Now 📩: It’s Election Day 2023 – here’s what you need to know

The biggest race in Erie County, of course, is the contest for county executive.

If you’re just catching up on things, The Buffalo News has plenty of resources to get you up to speed before you cast your vote at your local polling place. It is worth noting that more than 36,000 people have already done so through early voting, according to the Erie County Board of Elections.

The News’ 2023 WNY Voter Guide on Buffalonews.com includes dozens of stories on the races that will be capturing our attention Tuesday night. On the big-ticket race, it includes profiles of Democrat Mark Poloncarz, the three-term incumbent, and Chrissy Casilio, the Republican challenger who is making her first run for elected office.

You can also read our coverage about how late money has been pouring into the race and how the donations of two developers – Michael Joseph, for Poloncarz, and Patrick Hotung, for Casilio – have drawn attention and scrutiny in the campaign’s final days.

The Poloncarz-Casilio race has also been drawing statewide and national attention. City & State magazine in Albany asked the question, “Could embattled Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz lose to an unknown GOP challenger?” while the New York Times on Monday called it one of two “important bellwethers for 2024, when six competitive House races are expected to help determine control of the House of Representatives.”

Beyond the county executive race, plenty of seats are up for grabs in the Erie County Legislature and in suburban towns across the county. In Buffalo, there are contested elections for four seats on the Buffalo Common Council, but only the Lovejoy District race involves two major party candidates.

Voters in Niagara Falls will decide whether to keep their current mayor, Democrat Robert Restaino, or choose his challengers, Republican Carlton Cain or third-party candidate Demetreus…