A challenge to Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel is the top news on a list of 2025 election candidates maintained by the county Board of Elections.

Thomas Carle, a Democrat county legislator from Fredonia, is running against Wendel, a Republican. The list discloses people who have successfully filed petitions to run for elected positions this November.

Carle was appointed to the county legislature in December to replace Susan Parker, who resigned. That happened a few weeks after Carle lost to incumbent Nick Langworthy in a race for the 23rd Congressional District seat.

There will also be at least a couple of new faces on the Jamestown City Council. Councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large and chair of the council’s Public Safety Committee, will not run again as he eyes a position on the Chautauqua County Legislature. Incumbents Randall Daversa and Russell Bonfiglio are running as are Republican challenger Michael Zanghi and Democratic Party challengers Daniel Gonzalez and Jeremy Engquist. There will also be a new face representing Ward 5 residents in Jamestown as Councilman Bill Reynolds has chosen not to run again. Hannah Jaroszynski is running for the seat on the Democratic Party line while Danny Hickman is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines. There is also a contested race for the Ward 3 seat. Incumbent Regina Brackman is running against Republican challenger Seth States. Incumbent Ward 4 councilman Joe Paterniti is being challenged by Doug Scotchmer, husband of former Ward 4 councilwoman Marie Carrubba.

Contested races include:

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

Greg Krauza is trying to get back into elected office again. The Democrat is running for county clerk against Republican Greg Carlson. Krauza was mayor of Dunkirk long ago and unsuccessfully ran for a village of Fredonia trustee seat in 2021.

A “Battle of the Bobs” is set in District 3 representing part of Fredonia on the Legislature — Republican incumbent Robert Scudder faces a challenge from Democrat Robert Dando.

The only candidate listed for Carle’s District 4 is Sandra Lewis, a Democrat.

In Jamestown, Vince DeJoy is running as Democrat candidate for District 9 against Republican Phillip Landy. DeJoy is the city of Dunkirk’s director of planning and development, and formerly held a similar position in Jamestown. District 10 pics Democrat Julie Jackson-Fosberg,who also has the Working Families endorsement, against Jamie Gustafson on the Republican and Conservative party lines. Bob Whitney, a former legislator, is running with the Democratic Party’s endorsement against Tamara Dickey, a former City Council member who has the Republican and Conservative parties endorsement.

In District 12, Jeff Russell, who is leaving a position on the Jamestown City Council, is challenging Fred Larson, who has served on the legislature since 2024. Joseph Tickle is challenging incumbent Thomas Nelson in District 13.

There is also a contested race in District 17 where Democrat Melissa First is challenging incumbent Travis Heiser, endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties.

DUNKIRK

The city will apparently get at least two new members of Common Council. It could also get an old face back.

Frankie Torain will battle Colby Garza for the Second Ward seat. Torain has the Democrats’ endorsement, Garza is backed by the Republicans. Incumbent Abigail Zatorski (last name Yerico when elected, but she has since married) is not running again after a single term in office.

Democrat Gary Frederickson is the only candidate listed for Third Ward Councilperson. James “Jidge” Stoyle, the incumbent and a Republican, is not listed.

In the Fourth Ward, Republican Nancy Nichols, in office since 2019, faces a challenge from Democrat Michael Civiletto. It’s an exact flip of circumstances from 2019: Civiletto was representing the ward on council when Nichols defeated him.

Councilman-at-large Nick Weiser and First Ward Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak, both Democrats, don’t look to have any opposition. City Assessor Erica Munson, a Republican, is also unopposed.

Abolition of the city’s elected treasurer position will also be on the ballot. The council recently passed a law to put the proposal up for a public referendum.

FREDONIA

There’s a primary set for June 24 to decide the Democrats’ three candidates for two village trustee seats. Incumbent Michelle Twichell was not endorsed by her party but is running again anyway, and will face off in the primary against Christine Cruz Keene and LeeAnn Lazarony.

Fredonia’s Republicans traditionally name their trustee candidates through a caucus method. They don’t have anyone on the county Board of Elections list for Fredonia. Melanie Mann, chair of the Fredonia-Pomfret Republican Committee, did not immediately return a call seeking comment about this year’s process.

The Fredonia-Pomfret Republican Committee did post on social media that it has endorsed Phillip Maslak for Village of Fredonia Justice against incumbent Michael Cerrie, a Democrat. Maslak was Fredonia’s police chief for two years, 2020-21.

CONTESTED SOUTH COUNTY TOWNS AND VILLAGES

There are two seats up for election on the Busti Town Board. Incumbent Todd Hanson is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines while Tyler Nelson is also running on the Republican line. Gregory W. Juul III and Michael J. Pisko are running endorsed by the Democratic Party.

There will be a contested race for Carroll highway superintendent between the winner of the Republican primary between incumbent Michael Walker and Terry Eckman and Democrat Chad Allison.

Lakewood has three Village Board positions on the ballot – one held by Ben Troche, one held by Nancy Jones and one vacancy currently being filled by John Shedd – and only two candidates who turned in petitions. Jablonski is running for the position created when Rich Fischer resigned from the board while Kristan McMahon, executive director of the Robert J. Jackson center, is running unopposed for one of the two remaining seats.

The full Chautauqua County Board of Elections list of candidates can be viewed online at https://petitions.chqvotes.com.