Dan Jones plans to announce bid for City Council seat

Primary? After all these years of your work for the committee, why didn't they support you outright? Good luck Dan!

Because after being asked to run and after having had many opportunities to do so, Dan chose to wait until after an endorsement had been made for Katie Bellamy, the only declared candidate at the time, to decide to run for office.

If two candidates had declared interest, the committee would not have endorsed until after the primary as has been our policy for years.

Chris - Although I am a loyal Democrat, the residents of the third ward will always come first for me and not the City Party bosses. I decided to run after the endorsement process because I realized that, just like David Bellavia did, that courage is not sitting on the sidelines.

It's a shame that the other side is starting a negative campaign. This election should be about issues, not nuances.

Charlie - Thanks man, we've had our ups and downs, but I appreciate the support.

I will repeat -- Dan was the first person the "Party bosses" asked to run and he said that he had a conflict of interest because he sat on the consolidation committee. He very decisively declined. He told me personally he couldn't run for the same reason. Once someone is asked and they decline, the Party seeks out another candidate.

Meanwhile, after Dan declined, the city Democrats found a very good candidate and she was endorsed. Nothing negative about it. it is what it is.

Who is the Conservative Party....What people decieded to endorsed him.I am registered Conservative but don't know who is the one doing the endorsing..Daniel what Conservative values to you bring to the table..How can you represent democratic values and Conservative values .. The two are so different....

Lorie - Again, I changed my mind. I have reassured myself that there is no conflict of interest for running while serving on the consolidated charter committee. If elected, it is a committee that I will obviously resign from, but my desire to serve the public runs deeper than party endorsements. I believe that the Democratic party should be democratic, and that primaries are healthy for the party and more importantly, the residents of that district.

Although, Chris just brought up the issue, I had an interview with a member of the press who brought up this issue because it had been raised by others. The other side in this race is starting off negatively by pointing out a silly nuance rather than focusing on the issues. I would much rather talk about what's going to be focused on in terms of the city's future rather than personal attacks.

I also hold no ill will towards the committee. I have just decided to take my case to the voters. What is so wrong with that?

Mark - The Conservative Party committee is a committee made up of members of that party who petition their way onto the Conservative committee, just like any other party committee. I was interviewed by a group of party members. Although they and I agreed that we do not totally on every issue, on local issues of fiscal responsibility, transparency and good government we are in total agreement. I am also a heavy supporter of second amendment rights and will use my position as a councilman as a bully pulpit to advocate for gun owners with our state/federal elected officials.

The Conservative party locally has supported many Democrats who support fiscally restrained, responsible government such as Rose Mary Christian and Kathy Briggs.

You shouldn't hold any ill will towards the committee. They asked you first. That would just be silly. Just think how easy it would have been, not to mention saving the city the cost of a primary, if you would have just said yes to your own committee weeks ago.

Lorie - My interest in running did not start weeks ago, it started after the endorsement was made. It's true that I have wanted to serve for some time and only agreed to do so after a flood of calls from people I very much respect and my friends and from residents of the third ward. They inspired me. Looking back on this last special election where David Bellavia challenged the status quo inspired me. Senator Tim Kennedy from South Buffalo, who despite the unrelenting anger of part of that county's Democratic establishment, challenged the inept Senator Bill Stachowski and defeated him handily and then went on to win the general election and recently successfully fought for UB 2020. Reading about a man named Robert Francis Kennedy who, after deciding not to run and was essentially called a sell out for doing this, challenged President Lyndon Johnson on principal despite the political risks, inspired me as well.

As I said, I have decided to take my case to the voters. I do not see what the problem with that is. I would rather not focus on bitter silliness and just focus on the issues.

Daniel who is on the Conservative Party committee...I know how the process works ..I would like to know who is on this committee....

Mark - You should contact Conservative Chairman Art Munger at amunger1@rochester.rr.com or go to the board of elections. They can get you a full list of committee members. That is all public information. I think that you should talk to Art about joining the Conservative party committee as you would be an excellent asset to them.

Daniel who are they you should know who endorsed you ...Will contact Mr.Munger but just though you could share who is on this committee..

Mark - I do not remember the name of every person on the committee, I can tell you that I was interviewed by Art Munger, Mike Lovria and another gentleman who mostly took notes. They asked me a series of tough questions about fiscal policy for the city and about my commitment to fiscal restraint. They also brought up the same point that you did about being a Democrat and asking for the Conservative endorsement. They decided that I would be a good fit for the party line based on my views on fiscal responsibility and on gun rights, so they decided to endorse me and I am proud of their endorsement. Local elections are much more about good government than national ideologies. You should contact Mr. Munger about being on the committee, I am serious about that.

Dan...welcome to City of Batavia politics...Good Luck

Dan why not just switch parties and run as a republican..

Mark - Because I believe that on a local level, there is nothing hypocritical about having both the Democratic and Conservative endorsements. I am not one to have strict adherence to an ideology, I do not have one point of view for every issue up and down the board. I believe in solutions, and on a local level, the Conservative party agrees my philosophy for coming up with those solutions.

I hope that clears it up for you. Feel free to contact me on here or by email, djones14020@gmail.com, anytime.

David Bellavia was locked out of a race by a party that promised him a chance to run. This isn't the same situation. Not even in the same ballpark.

I haven't seen a negative comment here. Just folks making sure the record is correct.

Ah, electoral fusion. A despicable anachronism that turns politics into even more of a sell-out party than it would otherwise be.

Were I running for anything, which I'm happily not, the last political party I'd solicit assistance or an endorsement or a line from is the detestable "Conservative Party", which is an unprincipled, bigoted organization made up of people who would deny basic liberties and freedoms to their fellow taxpayers, and who believe in bigger government - as long as it's about social issues. They're for smaller government when it comes to "screwing the poors".

Good luck.

This discussion strengthens the argument for non-partisan elections. When a candidate is endorsed or approved by a political party certain assumptions are made about the policies or ideas he/she supports. Ballots should just have candidate names on them without party affiliations. Then voters will have to actually pay attention to what the candidate has to say about what he/she would like to accomplish. It would also force incumbents to stayin touch with what their constituents are concerned with rather than relying on a party affiliation to get them re-elected. Good Luck, Dan I wish you success.

I also wish you good luck on your run.

I agree that any office statewide and smaller should be subject to a non-partisan election process. See Nebraska's unicameral, non-partisan state legislature as an example.

I don't understand Howard

Alan; Nebraska is a good example. All elections should be non-partisan. Actually political parties could just go away if it were up to me. People have the right to join whatever group they want, but they have become too powerful and control legislation.

No I mean why would there be a primary?

Dave - What Howard means is that there would be an 'open' primary, everyone who is running would run in the primary election and then only if one candidate does not get 50 + 1 in the primary then it goes to a runoff election. Louisiana uses a system similar to this.

I take Dan at his word, he decided "only ... to do so after a flood of calls from people I very much respect and my friends and from residents of the third ward."

Despite the groundswell that inspired a change-of-mind, there seems a calculated bit of jockeying going on. ...The "nuance" -so noted.

Some might conclude that running as the Democratic favorite was perceived as liability. Taking a backdoor approach via primary and wooing the Conservative Party endorsement sets up two lines on the ballot, bolsters appeal to Republicans and establishes a defensible line of demarcation between candidate and Democratic Committee.

If the Conservative Party embraced Dan "based on my views on fiscal responsibility," I wonder if they pinned him down on the cost of a primary election?

In the City, the Conservative Party is endorsing three Democrats, one Republican. One registered Conservative, Bill Cox, is also running again in the 1st Ward.

Thanks Dan,I may have gotten tied up in the terminology. Howard, do you mean if noone gets 50% plus 1 vote in the general election, then there would be a run-off election of the top few, whatever the number or criteria would be? It could be the top 3 or 4 vote getters or anyone getting more than a set percentage. If so I like it.

I'd like to see a General Election with as many candidates as want to run. With the ridiculously low voter participation we have now, I want to get more voters involved. A full-on general election with anyone who wants to run as choices, should typically narrow the field down to 3 or 4 and a run-off might inspire more voters. If someone is popular enough to outright win, well then good. See Chicago's last mayoral election for an example, I don't like their petition signatures requirement (or NY's either)and i don't care much for Rahm Emmanuel, but enough people of Chicago apparently like him and that's what counts.

Why don't we just say it would be a First Vote followed by Conditional Second Vote? Either way, it's a run-off system, isn't it?

For our discussion here it may be semantics, but in the real world using the term primary would cause a lot of voters to skip the primary vote and wait for the real one. I think the first round should be the real vote.

I agree, especially locally here. No parties, no petitions, just declare and run. Whoever has the most votes wins. Simple. I like simple.

As a former resident of Batavia I love reading this web site.

Can someone tell me when the Democratic Party in Batavia developed "Party Bosses"?

Paul J. Weiss
Former 3rd Ward Councilman 1970-1975
Former Councilman-at-large 1990-1994

Last Halloween. It was all the rage...they even got plastic guns and badges. :-)

The idea of no parties has a lot of merit. But I doubt the parties in Albany will change the election law.

I thinks that's one of the biggest problems right now in this country. The top shouldn't dictate change, or better; the few shouldn't rule the many.

If we, and the tens of thousands of other towns, villages, micro cities across the country did this, then it wouldn't matter what Albany, or even Washington wanted. It would have no choice to change, because that would become the expectation from the people of the land.

Not to get all preachy, just saying.

Instant runoff voting.

We would have to basically put it in writing and begin a petition. We would have to get a decent amount of signatures and then bring it to the City council and County legislature to change local election laws. The more towns the better. We would be fighting for it to be made a referendum, so that the people could decide.

Once you get a bunch of counties on board, you would push it up to the state.

Phil, it's a state law, not local.

So what John. Localities don't have to have parties. Where does it mandate that?

LOL! That's what I'm talking about!

Phil,
If you can get the local parties not to endorse anyone in local elections, go for it. Too late for this year, but you have 2 years to do it.

As for a local law, as you know, local laws can not supersede state or federal law.

You could try to elect enough people from around the state to state government that would vote your way. Nice to talk about, but not likely.

You guys don't seriously think that those who are in power only due to the strength of their local political party would allow this, do you? In GC you are almost assured of winning a local seat based soley on having an R next to your name. You could be the biggest idiot in the world and still get elected just because of their R. The same holds true in other communities where a D is all that matters.

The one thing about this thread that is a real shame is both Dan and Mrs Bellamy have next to no chance of winning the general election. There is no way in hell a D can win without a unified party behind them. Dan was right to go secure the conservative endorsement, it's the only way to pull out a win. It's just a shame that who ever wins the primary will never have enough votes or support to win the general.

John, I don't even know if I'll be here in two years. I also know that no one will ever "give up" their parties. It's too embedded into people's minds.

As for a local law, as you know, local laws can not supersede state or federal law.

I do know that and that is the problem.

It is fun to talk about.

Fun, yes. Some may not know, but elections to the Board of Education are party free. You still have to get a lot of signatures to get on the ballot, but it is a bit closer to what you want.

Charlie,
You, Sam Barone, and Bill Cox are recent examples that you do not have to have an R next to your name to win.

We all had Conservative endorsements and a pretty unified party behind us. I don't see how either could win after months of infighting a primary will cause.. Mind you, I will be rooting for both from my far off home.