Presidential race drawing crowds; Grand Island council, term-limit law also on ballot

Article and Photos by Karen Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

It’s not just a presidential election year. Political pundits say nothing thing less than America’s future as a democracy is at stake on Nov. 5.

On Grand Island, some expressed the idea of voting as civic duty, and others as a privilege they would never want to skip.

Long lines of voters at local polling places attest to the intense interest in who will win the country’s top job: the former president, Donald Trump, or the current vice president, Kamala Harris. But there’s also a compelling Town Board race between Democrat Wayne West and Republican Jose Garcia to fill out the one-year term remaining after former Council member Peter Marston was elected town supervisor.

Voters also will cast ballots in races for Congress; the U.S. Senate; state Senate and Assembly representatives; Family Court judge; state Supreme Court judge; and Erie County district attorney.

In addition, there’s a local term-limit referendum and two state propositions to consider.

Around 3 p.m. this past Tuesday, election inspector Phyllis Martin was directing folks at the Grand Island Welcome Center, 1999 Alvin Road, to walk around to the back of the building and join the queue to the ballot booths inside.

“We’re processing about 72 people every hour. The wait is right now around 45 minutes,” she said. “And I understand in other locations – we have 38 early (voting) locations – there are anywhere from two- to four-hour waits.”

Five poll inspectors are on duty at the Welcome Center to guide voters through the process and ensure the election’s integrity.

Early voting takes place here from noon to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, has voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the neighborhood voting districts.

People in line were not heard complaining, just waiting their turn at early voting.

Whether it is Harris’ politics of joy or Trump’s vision to “Make America Great Again,” voters are revved up and lining up to cast their ballots.

One Grand Islander said this year’s election is no exception: “I’ll be voting all the time. Always vote – that’s your privilege,” he said.

Sarah Moore and her mother, Julie, both Grand Island residents, were fine with the line.

Sarah expressed the belief that this election is especially important.

“As a young woman growing up in this society and watching how the politics have changed drastically and become very (partisan), I feel like my voice really matters in this election,” she said. “It’s my opportunity as a young adult and as a voter to elicit my voice in a meaningful way.”

Town Board election

•Jose Garcia was raised and educated on Grand Island. He’s a graduate of the Grand Island High School Class of 1989. After a brief time in Minnesota, he and his wife moved to Grand Island in 1998. He retired as senior special agent after 29 years in the Department of Homeland Security/INS Office of Professional Responsibility.

Garcia founded a small business to provide private investigation and language interpretation services.

“Carefully growing our town while keeping in mind its rural charm is of particular interest to me,” he said in his campaign announcement. “Our town has a vast amount of vacant land, and there are many proposals before our Town Board to develop this land. It is important that we control our population density, especially in areas outside of the main business district in the vicinity of Grand Island Boulevard.”

Garcia also said, “It is incumbent that town leadership finds innovative ways to control crime and support the efforts of our police in preventing crime – especially crimes of opportunity, such as petit theft and vandalism.”

•Wayne West posted on his Facebook page, “My focus is on creating open conversations and transparent solutions that will keep our community sustainable and strong. As a steward of taxpayer resources, I’m committed to building trust, finding smart solutions, and working as a team for the greater good.”

West’s background includes military, nonprofit and community service, as well as real estate and corporate management. He was asked his opinion on the comprehensive plan calling for development of a town center concept during a forum in 2023, when he made an unsuccessful first run for Town Board.

He said, “It makes sense to have a town center – someplace that we can go; someplace that we can be proud of. … I would love to be able to see the town government, alongside recreation and seniors.”

Voters line up inside the Grand Island Welcome Center to cast their ballots in early voting taking place there on Tuesday.

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Town term-limit law

Voters get to say the ultimate “yes” or “no” to a redefined the term-limit law the Town Board approved on June 17. Local Law 5 would increase to 12 years – from the previous eight – the number of years the supervisor and council members can serve in office before term limits kick in. The limit then bars them from running for that office again.

This amounts to an increase to three full terms for an officeholder, whereas the previous law allowed only two full terms.

The law also limits the terms of town clerk and highway superintendent to 16 years. But terms for those two positions that were completed before Jan. 1, 2025, do not count toward the term limit.

One of the original purposes of the law was to align with New York state’s even-year cycle. Grand Island has an odd-year election cycle. That state-level realignment didn’t happen.

Island resident Dave Anderson wrote to this newspaper that, on Oct. 9 of this year, a judge struck down the “even” year election cycle as unconstitutional.

“Therefore, (it) cancels the first reason mentioned … for changing the current term limits,” Anderson said.

He submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to obtain answers for several questions he had:

•What was the town’s legal position on complying with governor’s legislation?

•How did the board reach the decision on the number of years for the term limits?

•What options did the board consider?

•Why can’t the Town Board amend the current term limits one time to accommodate the switch from odd to even year elections?

•How do we know if the current term limits will stand up in court?

Anderson said that he did learn several things from the FOIL request:

•The term limits used today were put in place July 18, 2016. The term limit law at that time stated that no town supervisor or councilman can serve for more than two full terms of four years each. The justification for the law was that “expanding participation in the electoral process will bring new ideas to the governance of the Town of Grand Island,” Anderson quoted.

•No term limits were required for the town superintendent of highways or the town clerk because of the nature of their job functions under the current law.

Marston said, when the revised town law was adopted this June, “I think this is the decision of the people. It shouldn’t be the decision of Town Board.”

Council member Thomas Digati said the consensus is that, if the new measure is defeated at the polls, it would be appropriate that the Town Board consider rescinding the current law and go without any term limits.

“We’re not career politicians, and by the time we kind of get our feet beneath us, sometimes you’re kind of just hitting your stride by the time you get to eight years,” Digati said. “And while I think term limits are a necessity, I think there’s something to be said for perhaps extending that a little bit and allowing people to get up to speed and be effective before they’re moving on.”