Politics Now

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – For you aging hippies, here are the ballot count numbers in the Senate race for the town of Woodstock in Ulster County.

Woodstock, a longtime art colony made famous by the 1969 concert that actually took place 70 miles south, is a town where many residents might consider the Democratic Party too right wing for their tastes.

Nonetheless, Democrat Cecilia Tkacyzk captured 249 of the 313 absentee and affidavit paper ballots counted yesterday compared to just 64 for Republican George Amedore for the still-raging election contest for the 46th district that will decide which party is in control of the Senate come January. [Republicans challenged 93 ballots from the town and Democrats objected to eight – meaning those will be included in the pile of more than 500 paper ballots a judge will have to decide whether to count or not.]

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – They’ve done their best to keep things secret, but little by little more is coming out about who has been donating to a Manhattan-based group that has helped push Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s political agenda in Albany.

The latest revelation comes today courtesy of The New York Times about a donation to the Committee to Save New York by a real estate company that had been under investigation by Cuomo when he was the state’s attorney general.

The group has been called by critics a political front organization for the governor by raising millions of dollars in secret and then spending it on major advertising campaigns to boost his policy agenda and poll numbers.

Today’s story in the Times says Fisher Brothers gave the Cuomo support organization $500,000; it noted the firm was among those examined during Cuomo’s time as attorney general during a sweeping probe into allegations of wrongdoing at the state’s pension fund for government workers. The Cuomo administration dismissed the story’s premise, saying Fisher Brothers engaged in no misconduct that warranted any legal action during that pension fund scandal when it was headed by former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi.

The Committee to Save New York is exempt from having to report millions of dollars it raised during its formative period after Cuomo was elected governor, though it, and other groups like it, will have some limited disclosure requirements in the future.

The Buffalo News earlier this year broke a story that $800,000 in donations by Western New York business interests was funneled through the Buffalo Niagara Partnership to the Committee to Save New York. Officials with the Buffalo commerce group have declined to name the donors of checks that were bundled and given as a group to the Manhattan organization.

Besides various real estate interests, the Times also reported earlier this year that casino interests donated $2 million to the committee at a time when the governor and lawmakers have been considering a dramatic expansion in gambling.

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – Here is the numerical breakdown of absentee voters in the 46^th Senate district who in the coming weeks could help determine which party controls the state Senate.

The still-undetermined results in the race between Republican George Amedore and Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk will be decided by the counting of more than 9,000 absentee ballots. That process can begin Monday, and will be done one county at a time on an alphabetical basis.

After the Tuesday defection of a Brooklyn Democrat to the Republican caucus, the Republicans can win the Senate if Amedore wins. If Tkaczyk wins, the Democrats will ensure they have the numbers, but not necessarily the power if a breakaway group of four Democrats should decide to join with the Republicans in a power-sharing deal.

Here, then, is the handy count sheet, as provided by Senate Republicans, for the 46^th Senate district – a new seat the Republicans added during this year’s redistricting in hopes of improving their odds of retaining the Senate.

Party breakdown of outstanding absentee ballots: 3,062 Republicans, 3,318 Democrats, 182 Conservatives, 416 Independence Party, 2,003 “blank” or non-enrolled and 11 Working Family Party members, and a few dozen other minor parties.

By county: 1,938 are from Albany, 1,806 from Greene, 1,117 from Montgomery, 947 from Schenectady and 3,223 from Ulster. Democrats say their candidate, a farmer who lives in the Hilltowns outside Albany, will do especially well in Ulster County, while Republicans say Amedore, a local Albany-area homebuilder, will do well in Albany and Schenectady County. Still, 773 Democratic ballots from Albany are in the mix compared to 530 Republicans.

Before machine recounts, which are underway this week, Tkaczyk was ahead by 139 votes after last Tuesday's elections.

The Buffalo News and BuffaloNews.com will have all the issues and races covered on Election Day from the minute you wake up until the results unfold.

Starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, we'll have a live chat with guests to talk about the important issues, key races and the latest updates from across Western New York. Reporters Mary Pasciak and Patrick Lakamp will be your hosts. We'll also bring you insight from Political Reporter Bob McCarthy and Columnist Donn Esmonde. Here's what we have so far in terms of guests:

*10 a.m.: Reporter Gene Warner on what early-morning voters were saying at the polls

*10:30 a.m.: Deputy Managing Editor Stan Evans on what to watch for throughout the day

*11 a.m.: Washington Columnist Doug Turner on the national scene

*12 p.m.: Turner and Managing Editor Brian Connolly open it up for a discussion with readers

*1:10 p.m.: Health Reporter Henry Davis on health care issues

*1:40 p.m.: Business Editor Grove Potter on economic issues

*2:10 p.m.: Siena Research Institute pollster Steven A. Greenberg

*2:40 p.m.: Editorial Page Editor John Neville on The Buffalo News' endorsement process

*3:10 p.m.: Reporter Dan Herbeck on the Seneca Nation elections

*3:40 p.m.: Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski reports from Chicago

*4:10 p.m.: Buffalo News Editor Mike Connelly gives a Florida perspective

*4:40 p.m.: Reporter Jay Rey from the swing state of Ohio

*4:55 p.m.: Reporter Matt Glynn on local town board upsizing votes

*5:10 p.m.: Reporter Barbara O'Brien on area State Assembly races

*5:40 p.m.: Reporter Sandra Tan on the Erie County comptroller's race

*6:10 p.m.: Rochester D&C Reporter Jessica Alaimo on the Slaughter-Brooks race

*6:25 p.m.: Reporter Thomas J. Prohaska on the Witryol-Maziarz State Senate race

*6:40 p.m.: Reporter Denise Jewell Gee on the Collins-Hochul race

*7:10 p.m.: Reporter Charity Vogel on the Grisanti-Amodeo-Swanick race

*7:40 p.m.: Reporter Tom Precious reports from Boston

*8 p.m.: Metro Columnist Donn Esmonde chimes in

*8:30 p.m.: Political Reporter Bob McCarthy

We've also got a live video broadcast starting at noon. Check out that schedule.

Well, it's finally here. Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski previews election coverage for The Buffalo News and BuffaloNews.com.

The Buffalo News and BuffaloNews.com will have you covered on Election Day from the minute you wake up until the results unfold.

Live chat
Starting at 10 a.m., we'll have a live chat with guests to talk about the important issues, key races and the latest updates from across Western New York. Reporters Mary Pasciak and Patrick Lakamp will be your hosts. We'll also bring you insight from Political Reporter Bob McCarthy and Columnist Donn Esmonde. Here's what we have so far in terms of guests:

*10 a.m.: Reporter Gene Warner on what early-morning voters were saying at the polls

*10:30 a.m.: Deputy Managing Editor Stan Evans on what to watch for throughout the day

*11 a.m.: Washington Columnist Doug Turner on the national scene

*12 p.m.: Turner and Managing Editor Brian Connolly open it up for a discussion with readers

*1:10 p.m.: Health Reporter Henry Davis on health care issues

*1:40 p.m.: Business Editor Grove Potter on economic issues

*2:10 p.m.: Siena Research Institute pollster Steven A. Greenberg

*2:40 p.m.: Editorial Page Editor John Neville on The Buffalo News' endorsement process

*3:10 p.m.: Reporter Dan Herbeck on the Seneca Nation elections

*3:40 p.m.: Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski reports from Chicago

*4:10 p.m.: Buffalo News Editor Mike Connelly gives a Florida perspective

*4:40 p.m.: Reporter Jay Rey from the swing state of Ohio

*4:55 p.m.: Reporter Matt Glynn on local town board upsizing votes

*5:10 p.m.: Reporter Barbara O'Brien on area State Assembly races

*5:40 p.m.: Reporter Sandra Tan on the Erie County comptroller's race

*6:10 p.m.: Rochester D&C Reporter Jessica Alaimo on the Slaughter-Brooks race

*6:25 p.m.: Reporter Thomas J. Prohaska on the Witryol-Maziarz State Senate race

*6:40 p.m.: Reporter Denise Jewell Gee on the Collins-Hochul race

*7:10 p.m.: Reporter Charity Vogel on the Grisanti-Amodeo-Swanick race

*7:40 p.m.: Reporter Tom Precious reports from Boston

*8 p.m.: Metro Columnist Donn Esmonde chimes in

*8:30 p.m.: Political Reporter Bob McCarthy

Live video
Hosted by reporters Brian Meyer and Phil Fairbanks, we'll have updates every half hour starting at noon, and then wall-to-wall coverage starting at 8 p.m. Our guests will include Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski who will be reporting from Chicago and Reporter Tom Precious from Boston.

*12 p.m.: Reporter Gene Warner on what early-morning voters were saying at the polls

*12:30 p.m.: Reporter Jay Rey from the swing state of Ohio

*1 p.m.: Reporter Henry Davis talks about health care issues and the election

*1:30 p.m.: Business Editor Grove Potter on the economy

*2 p.m.: Siena Research Institute pollster Steven A. Greenberg

*2:30 p.m.: Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski reports from Chicago

*3 p.m.: Editorial Writer Kevin Walter on The Buffalo News' endorsement process

*3:30 p.m.: Reporter Dan Herbeck on issues in the Seneca Nation election

*4 p.m.: Reporter Tom Precious reports from Boston

*4:30 p.m.: Reporter Jay Rey reports from Ohio

*5 p.m.: Reporter Barbara O'Brien reports on area State Assembly races

*5:30 p.m.: Reporter Sandra Tan on the Erie County comptroller race

*6 p.m.: Rochester D&C Reporter Jessica Alaimo on the Slaughter-Brooks race

*6:30 p.m.: Reporter Denise Jewell Gee on the Hochul-Collins race

*7 p.m.: Reporter Charity Vogel on the Grisanti-Amodeo-Swanick race

*7:30 p.m.: Albany Bureau Chief Tom Precious reports from Boston

The latest results
When the polls close, BuffaloNews.com will deliver the latest numbers from across the region, the state and the country.

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – The state’s politically potent union representing teachers has pumped $100,000 into the Erie County Democratic Party’s coffers, a portion of which is likely to help the financially struggling campaign of Democrat Michael Amodeo in next week’s state Senate race.

The New York State United Teachers union, which earlier this month cancelled a pro-Amodeo ad campaign that was to cost at least $150,000, donated the six-figure amount to the county party a week ago, according to campaign filings made public today.

While the union did not directly give the $100,000 to Amodeo, the county party can spend the funds on behalf of him – or any other candidates it may be trying to help elect next week. Jeremy Zellner, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, did not immediately return calls for comment this afternoon.

Local members of NYSUT have been conducting phone calling operations and neighborhood canvassing on behalf of Amodeo and the statewide NYSUT union based outside Albany has endorsed him over incumbent Sen. Mark Grisanti. The union, among its priorities, is hoping to get changes to the state’s property tax cap law; Amodeo has said he would support changing the provision that now calls for 60 percent of voters' approval for an override of the annual 2 percent cap to a simple majority of 50 percent plus one.

The $100,000 NYSUT donation dwarfed all other contributions the county party received the past three weeks; in all during the most recent reporting period, the party group raised $123,000.

Beyond the donation to the Erie County Democrats revealed on the party's disclosure to the state elections board, NYSUT’s campaign spending the past three weeks is unknown; the union’s latest campaign report, due last Friday, is still not posted yet on the election board’s web site.

Republican incumbent Mark J. Grisanti, Democratic challenger Michael L. Amodeo and Conservative Party candidate Charles M. Swanick are scheduled to participate in a live video debate to be broadcast next week on BuffaloNews.com.

Readers will be able to pose questions to the candidates for the 60th District seat in the New York State Senate.

The debate, which will be hosted by The Buffalo News and shown live at 11 a.m. Nov. 2, will be moderated by News reporters Bob McCarthy and Brian Meyer.

The debate was previously scheduled for Oct. 31, when it would have included only two candidates.

Submit your questions by noon Thursday, Nov. 1. You can email them to Assistant Online Editor Aaron Besecker at abesecker@buffnews.com or send a message on Twitter to @TheBuffaloNews.