Supervisor Joseph Emminger handily won re-election against Republican challenger Chuck Sankey.
Emminger's re-election was not be a surprise. Democrats have held total control of the Town Board since 2007 and Republicans confronted a Democratic voter registration edge of 45% to 28% this year.
Redeveloping the former Huntley generating station and Tonawanda Coke sites on River Road, debating a controversial overhaul of the town's recreational facilities and town finances were key campaign issues.
Emminger, 60, runs a real estate appraisal company. He was elected to the Town Board three times before winning the supervisor's job in 2015.
While supervisor, a period that includes the loss of nearly $2 million in annual revenue from the shuttered Huntley plant, Emminger said property taxes for homeowners have risen less than 2% annually and the town has received a strong Aa2 bond rating from Moody's Investors Service.
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Sankey, 50, is an equipment operator with the Erie County Water Authority who previously spent six years as an editorial publishing specialist with The Buffalo News. He's a former chair and current executive vice chairman of the town's Republican Committee.
Sankey blasted Emminger and Democrats over taxes, raises for elected officials and one-party rule, but he did not actively campaign for the office.
Emminger had the Democratic, Conservative, Working Families, Independence and SAM (Serve America Movement) party ballot lines, while Sankey only had the Republican line.
In the Town Board races, Democrat Shannon Patch, who was appointed to fill a vacancy over the summer, cruised to victory over Republican challenger Gigi Grizanti and fellow Democrat Carl Szarek was running well ahead of Republican Skip Kowal.
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Tonawanda supervisor
100% of districts reporting
- Joseph H. Emminger, D, C, WF, I, SAM 12,209 votes 70.2%
- Charles E. Sankey, R 5,193 29.8%
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