Press Release: New Unite NY Report Finds Buffalo’s Political System Leaves Voters With Few Choices Despite Strong Appetite for Reform
Unite NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
BUFFALO, N.Y. —
A new research report from Unite NY examines Buffalo’s political system, finding that most city voters rarely have the opportunity to participate in competitive Common Council elections even as polling shows significant public support for reforms designed to increase voter choice and participation.
The report, developed following the 2026 Buffalo Charter Review Commission process, combines an analysis of more than a decade of Common Council elections with public-opinion research and a review of the Commission’s deliberations.
Its findings include:
- 23 of 36 Buffalo Common Council general elections held since 2011 — 64% — were uncontested.
- In 2023, just 9% of Buffalo voters lived in districts with a contested Common Council general election. In the Delaware and South districts, voters did not experience a single contested Democratic primary or general election during the period analyzed.
- Public-opinion research commissioned during the Charter Review Commission process found that 67% of Buffalo voters support open primaries and 67% also support reducing petition-signature requirements for independent candidates.
The report also documents how in June, the Commission’s Electoral Reform Working Group advanced recommendations supporting ranked choice voting, semi-open primaries, and a reduction in candidate petition-signature requirements. Nearly all of the Working Group’s recommendations were approved unanimously.
Despite that initial interest, the full Commission ultimately declined to advance the reforms in July.
“It’s clear that Buffalo voters are frustrated with establishment politics. They want reforms that create more competitive elections and give more voters a meaningful voice, including every registered voters,” Thomas said. “Unite NY will continue working alongside the Western New York RCV Coalition to advance democracy reform in Buffalo.”
View the complete findings here.
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