BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County Democrats have officially endorsed Jeremy Zellner for the vacant 61st State Senate District seat, but the nomination process has sparked significant controversy among Democratic voters and lawmakers who believe the selection should have gone through a primary election instead of party committee members.
The nomination took place at a meeting in Buffalo led by County Legislature Chair Timothy Meyers. Zellner, who also serves as Erie County Democratic Committee Chair, expressed excitement about the nomination and announced plans to remain party chairman if elected.
"It's just an honor to have the nomination", Zellner said. "There's a lot at stake, so much so that I'm not going to just pull the plug and leave chaos here. I have strong support from Governor Kathy Hochul for re-election, and I plan on seeking reelection in October."
Transparency concerns and protests
To address transparency concerns, Zellner stepped down from his role as Board of Elections Commissioner, allowing the legislature chair to run the meeting. However, protesters gathered outside the building during the nomination process, expressing frustration that party committee members, rather than voters, would fill the seat.
"I wanted to make sure that the public knew my intentions the day after the election," Zellner said. "That's why I got out, let them know I'm going to be leaving the Board of Elections as soon as I certify the election and make sure we have things in place with the budget and make sure we have things in place with the staff."
Critics call for process reform
Election reform advocate Paul Wolf criticized the nomination process as undemocratic.
"No one can run besides handpicked party candidates. That's a terrible process. That's not democracy," Wolf said. "When people take the time to go vote, they should be able to have all options available. This restricts people from running."
India Walton echoed concerns about voter input and called for process reform.
"It's not about Jeremy Zellner, himself. It's about the process," Walton said. "So what we're calling for is a change in the process. We are Democratic voters and I think that the process, both for Democrats and Republicans, is very flawed, skewed. The timeline is too short."
Assemblyman Jon Rivera, who represents residents of Buffalo and Lackawanna, argued that nominations should be earned through voter engagement.
"When one runs for office, they have to take on the responsibility of engaging voters, of seeking support, of knocking on doors, of being present and being attentive to voters," Rivera said.
Rivera added that the party should hold debates to better inform voters.
"We continue to provide candidates to voters that, frankly, don't listen to them," Rivera said. "They don't reflect the values that they reflect, and voters will not know who these candidates are come Election Day."
Election details and priorities
Following his nomination, Zellner outlined his main priorities if elected, focusing on affordable housing and pushing back against potential cuts to healthcare funding from the state capitol.
The 61st Senate seat became vacant when Sean Ryan was elected as Buffalo's mayor. The special election is scheduled for February 3.
