James Donald Griffin was an American politician who served in the New York State Senate and then for 16 years as the Mayor of Buffalo,New York (1978–93). He later returned to public life serving as a member of the Buffalo Common Council.
James Michael Mead was an American politician from New York. A Democrat,among the offices in which he served was member of the Erie County Board of Supervisors (1914–1915),New York State Assembly (1915–1918),United States House of Representatives (1919–1938),and United States Senate (1938–1947).
Byron William Brown II is an American politician who served as the 62nd mayor of Buffalo,New York from 2006 until his resignation in 2024. He was the city's first African-American mayor and longest-serving mayor of Buffalo. He previously served Western New York as a member of the New York State Senate and Buffalo Common Council. He is the first African-American politician elected to the New York State Senate to represent a district outside New York City and the first member of any minority race to represent a majority-white New York State Senate district. He announced in a September press conference that he would resign as mayor of Buffalo sometime in October. Brown's resignation took effect on October 15,2024,with Christopher Scanlon serving as acting mayor until the next mayoral election in 2025.
John Joseph LaFalce is an American politician who served as a Congressman from the state of New York from 1975 to 2003. He retired in 2002 after his district was merged with that of a fellow Democrat.
Kevin P. Gaughan is an attorney and an advocate of government reform,in particular for the establishment of regional government and regional consciousness within the Buffalo-Niagara region,which encompasses the cities of Buffalo,New York and Niagara Falls,New York,their suburbs and surrounding rural areas.
Anthony R. Nanula is an American real estate developer,investment banker,political leader,and philanthropist from Buffalo,New York.
Henry James Nowak was an American lawyer,politician,and a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York between 1975 and 1993.
Arthur Owen Eve is a retired American politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly (1967–2002) and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (1979–2002) representing districts in Buffalo,New York. He was the first Dominican-American elected to public office in the United States,and the first African American to win a Buffalo mayoral Democratic primary but was defeated in the following mayoral election.
Buffalo,New York's government is run by a democratically elected mayor and council of nine members.
James P. "Jim" Hayes is an American politician from Amherst,New York who served in the New York State Assembly from 1999 to 2011. Elected in 1998,he represented parts of Erie and Niagara counties until his resignation in September 2011.
David A. "Dave" Franczyk is a councilmember of the Buffalo Common Council,which is the representative legislative branch of the government of Buffalo,New York. He is also a former Liberal Party and Democratic Party nominee for the United States House of Representatives.
James Ananich is an American politician from the State of Michigan. He was a Democratic Party member of the Michigan State Senate from 2013 to 2023,representing the 27th district,which is located in Genesee County and includes the cities Burton,Clio,Flint,Mount Morris and Swartz Creek and the townships of Flint Township,Forest,Genesee,Mount Morris,Richfield,Thetford and Vienna. He was the minority leader from 2015 to 2023.
Timothy Martin Kennedy is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for New York's 26th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party,he was elected in the April 2024 special election to finish the remainder of Brian Higgins's term in the 118th United States Congress. Prior to his congressional tenure,Kennedy served in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2024.
The 2005 Buffalo Mayoral Election took place on November 8,2005. After incumbent Anthony M. Masiello,a Democrat,announced on April 29,2005,that he would not seek a fourth term as mayor,a field of several Democratic candidates emerged,from which New York State Senator Byron Brown emerged victorious in the primary election. In the general election,Brown went on to defeat Republican challenger Kevin Helfer,former member of the Buffalo Common Council for the University District,as well as two minor-party candidates. Buffalo's 2005 mayoral election is notable as the first in the city to be won by an African-American candidate.
The 2001 Buffalo Mayoral election took place on November 6,2001. Incumbent Anthony M. Masiello,a Democrat,easily trounced his sole opponent in the primary,going on to win a third term with no serious opposition in the general election. Buffalo's 2001 mayoral election was notable for its uncharacteristic quietness,despite pressing issues such as allegations of environmental contamination in the Hickory Woods neighborhood of South Buffalo and chronic poverty and urban blight. This was speculated as being due to reticence on the part of would-be candidates to "challenge a powerful and well-liked mayor like Masiello",especially one with a campaign fund in excess of $1 million. It was also only the second time in history when the Democrats and Republicans endorsed the same candidate for mayor of Buffalo,a phenomenon made possible by New York State's electoral fusion law.
Thomas P. Amodeo is a lawyer and the current Chief Judge of Buffalo City Court,a position he has held since 1994.
Robert Gary Ortt II is an American military veteran,treasurer,and politician who is a member of the New York State Senate. Ortt represents the 62nd district,which covers Niagara and Orleans counties. First elected in 2014,Ortt is a Republican.
The 2021 Buffalo mayoral election was held on November 2,2021. Democratic Mayor Byron Brown won his fifth term in office as a write-in candidate. Brown's victory marked the first time since 1985 that Buffalo did not elect the Democratic nominee for mayor.
Joseph F. Crangle was a lawyer and political boss in Erie County,New York. Crangle served overlapping terms as chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee from 1965 to 1988 and chair of the New York State Democratic Committee from 1971 to 1974.
Christopher P. Scanlon is an American politician who is the current acting mayor of Buffalo,New York. He is Buffalo's 63rd mayor,having served since October 15,2024 after succeeding Byron Brown.
