Election 2023: Chrissy Casilio announces campaign for Erie County executive

Business owner, community leader, emphasizes need for change in leadership

Submitted on behalf of Chrissy Casilio

Lifelong Erie County resident, small business owner and community leader Chrissy Casilio announced her campaign for Erie County Executive on Monday.

The owner of a local marketing firm, Casilio pointed to the fiscal pressures faced by families and businesses alike, and emphasized that a change in leadership was necessary to get Erie County and its economy moving again.

“As a taxpayer and a mother, I know how difficult it is for families in Erie County to make ends meet. As a small business owner, I know the struggles so many companies face just to try and survive in this post-pandemic economy,” Casilio said. “After 17 years in county government, it has never been clearer that Mark Poloncarz does not understand Erie County residents' challenges. We need new leadership to move our community forward.”

Endorsed by the Erie County Republican Party over the weekend, Casilio said her candidacy represents new leadership and a more cooperative and collaborative approach to governing. She promised to be a better partner in government with the county’s 23 cities, towns and villages than Poloncarz has been, and stressed her belief that the county executive must work with and address the needs of every community across Erie County.

“Too many communities have been forgotten and ignored by this administration,” Casilio said. “I want every city, town and village to know that, when I am county executive, they will have a partner in the Rath Building they can rely on, not a politician whose motives and behavior they can’t trust.”

A graduate of the University at Buffalo with a degree in journalism, Casilio founded her marketing and public relations firm in 2013. Active in her community, she was the youngest president of the Clarence Rotary Club where she spearheaded the development of the Clarence Veterans Memorial, a million-dollar public-private partnership that honors local veterans.

Committed to developing and encouraging future community leaders, Casilio has been engaged for several years in business mentoring of high school and college students, helping prepare them for successful careers while emphasizing the importance of giving back to their community.

Casilio and her husband, Zach, are the proud parents of three children: 6-year-old Andrew, 4-year-old Leah, and their 1-and-a-half-year-old daughter Cara.

More information on Casilio and her campaign can be found at www.casilioforcountyexecutive.com, twitter.com/ChrissyCasilio, facebook.com/ChrissyCasilioforCE, or on Instagram.com/chrissycasilio.