CASILIO QUALIFIES FOR BALLOT IN COUNTY EXECUTIVE RACE

(Buffalo, NY) – Endorsed Republican candidate for Erie County Executive Chrissy Casilio officially qualified for a spot on the ballot in November by filing an impressive 8,461 signatures with the Erie County Board of Elections today.

“I am thrilled with the tremendous outpouring of support that our campaign has received from the hundreds of volunteers who carried my petitions and the more than 8,400 voters whose signatures reinforce they want change in county government,” said Casilio.  “Erie County residents know that Mark Poloncarz has been in office too long, and that his administration is out of touch with the needs of our community.  I understand the frustration being felt by the people who signed my petitions, and residents all across Erie County, and I will be fighting for them in the weeks and months ahead.”

County-wide candidates are required to collect a minimum of 2,000 signatures from registered voters affiliated with a major party to secure their place on the ballot.  Oftentimes, long tenured incumbents like Poloncarz use their political machines to attempt to invalidate enough signatures to prevent their opponents from qualifying for the ballot.  Casilio’s volume of signatures leaves her with a substantial cushion to survive any such potential effort by the incumbent.

“Besides the sheer number of signatures, I am also energized by the enthusiasm I’ve experienced from voters when accompanying the volunteers knocking on their doors,” said Casilio.  “The struggles our taxpayers and businesses are feeling are real, and they are excited to know that there is someone running for County Executive who is willing to challenge the status quo and ready to lead our community in a new direction and towards a brighter future.  That’s the message I’ll be taking to voters as the campaign moves forward,” Casilio concluded.