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Erie County Democratic Committee

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Erie County Democratic Committee
ChairpersonJeremy Zellner
Governing bodyDemocratic Party
Founded1898; 127 years ago (1898)
Headquarters671 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York 14210
MembershipDecrease 281,088 (2025)[1]
IdeologyModern liberalism
Website
ecdems.com

The Erie County Democratic Committee (ECDC) is a regional affiliate of the Democratic Party in Erie County, New York.

It is the dominant party within the county, accounting for 44.5% of all registered voters.[1] Comparatively, the Erie County Republican Committee holds 25.5% of the electorate.[1]

Mirroring the national Democratic Party, the committee in its present form represents modern liberalism. It has, however, experienced periods of upheaval where conservative factions within the organization fought against social progress.

Jeremy Zellner is the current chairman of the committee, having served since 2012. His dual-role as both party chair and the county's board of elections commissioner has led to an alleged conflict of interest, allowing him to restrict ballot access from unendorsed and progressive candidates.

Party rules

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If it was about engagement and it was about transparency, then why not give every committee person a vote on endorsements? Why limit it to the zone chairs and the executive committee?[2]

—Michael Gainer, 2025 Buffalo mayoral candidate and committee member

Each election district within the county is represented by two committee members. These members are elected to two-year terms, and must reside within the assembly district they represent.[3]

The executive committee consists of the following positions, elected to two-year terms by a majority vote of the membership: chairman, nine vice-chairs, secretary, sergeant of arms, zone chairs for each Buffalo legislative district, and zone chairs for each township outside of Buffalo.[3] The chairman also appoints twelve at-large representatives to the executive committee at their own discretion.[3]

Only the executive committee decides on candidate endorsements, and their voting is done behind closed-doors.[2]

History

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William H. Ryan, chairman 1898–1899

1898–1932: Founding and Naylon's coup

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William H. Ryan served as chairman from 1898 to 1899, leaving after his election to the United States House of Representatives.[4]

John Cunneen served as chairman of the organization from 1900 through his ascension to Attorney General of New York in 1902.[5]

Edward E. Coatesworth took over as the committee's chairman, serving from 1902 to 1907.[6]

William H. Fitzpatrick served as the chairman from 1907 through 1924.[7]

John P. Sullivan served as chairman from 1924 until his resignation in 1926.[8] Sullivan was forced out by Henry M. Naylon's newly formed Cleveland-Jefferson Club, which sought to overtake control of the party.[9] Committee members attempted to elect former chair William H. Ryan as Sullivan's replacement, but Naylon had his election thrown out in court.[8]

Former Buffalo mayor Louis P. Fuhrmann, a member of the Cleveland-Jefferson Club, took over as chairman from 1926 until his death in 1931.[10]

At the request of governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oliver Cabana, Jr. served as chairman for most of 1931 to ensure Democratic victories in that year's elections.[11]

John C. Stiglmeier served out the remainder of Cabana, Jr.'s term as chairman through 1932.[12]

1932–1988: Restructuring and stability

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NY State Sen. Tim Kennedy acknowledging the death of former chairman Joseph F. Crangle, February 2021

George J. Zimmermann served as chair from 1932 until his election as mayor of Buffalo in 1933.[13]

Frank J. Carr was chairman from 1934 to 1935.[14] He was later indicted on federal gambling charges, and was acquitted in 1939.[15]

Edward C. Dethloff served as chairman from 1936 to 1939.[16]

Paul E. Fitzpatrick, the son of former committee chair William H. Fitzpatrick, was elected chairman in 1939 and served until resigning in 1942.[17]

George B. Doyle served as chairman of the committee from 1942 to 1947.[18]

William B. Mahoney, brother of state senator Walter J. Mahoney, served as chairman from 1947 to 1954.[19][20]

Peter J. Crotty served as chairman from 1954 through his retirement in 1965.[21] Crotty was personally credited by John F. Kennedy for helping him win New York State in the 1960 United States presidential election.[22]

Joseph F. Crangle served as chairman from 1965 through his retirement in 1988, the longest term of any chair before or since.[23]

1988–2012: Pigeon's removal and minority rule

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Vincent J. Sorrentino served as chairman from 1988 to 1996.[24] After Sorrentino backed David Swarts in his failed campaign against incumbent county executive Dennis Gorski, Gorski lobbied against his re-election as chair.[25]

Steve Pigeon became chairman in 1996, but was removed from his position in 2002 after the party lost many seats to Republican control.[26] Republican Joel Giambra had unseated three-term Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski in 1999.[27]

Len Lenihan served as chairman from 2002 to 2012, during which time the party regained control of the Erie County Executive seat.[28]

2012–present: Zellner's consolidation of power

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As far as the independent line that we've created, this is what you're forced to do sometimes in Erie County because of the Erie County Democratic Committee, where you've got a chairman who's got an inherent conflict of interest.[29]

—Christopher Scanlon, incumbent acting mayor in the 2025 Buffalo mayoral election

Jeremy Zellner has served as chairman since 2012.[30] He has been criticized for appointing himself as the county's board of elections commissioner in 2017, and using both positions to favor endorsed candidates over their unendorsed and progressive challengers.[31]

Zellner regularly has the committee's lawyers challenge nominating petitions of non-endorsed candidates, with over a dozen candidates denied ballot access.[32] He was accused of sexism in 2019 after rejecting the nominating petitions of five unendorsed female Buffalo Common Council candidates.[33] Progressive candidate India Walton was misled by Zellner when submitting her Working Families Party petition for the 2021 Buffalo mayoral election, and he subsequently denied its approval.[34]

Kimberly Beaty, a minority candidate for Erie County sheriff in 2021, accused Zellner of racism when she attempted to seek his endorsement.[35] In retaliation, Zellner fired the granddaughter of Betty Jean Grant from the Erie County board of elections after finding out Grant was collecting signatures for Beaty's petition.[35]

Progressive Michael Gainer, a committee member, was disqualified from the 2025 Buffalo mayoral election primary after Zellner had his legal team sue Gainer for fraud.[32][36] After Zellner denied Betty Jean Grant's petition to primary Erie County legislator Taisha St. Jean Tard, she teamed up with Gainer to create the independent Restore Buffalo party line for the general election.[37] Furthermore, Zellner was accused of pressuring the executive committee to endorse Sean Ryan in the 2025 Buffalo mayoral election so he could be rewarded with an appointment to Ryan's state senate seat.[2] Incumbent acting mayor Christopher Scanlon responded to Ryan's endorsement by petitioning to run as an independent.[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "BOE Statistics". Erie County Board of Elections. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Benson, Nate (February 21, 2025). "Early Democratic endorsement for mayor causes stir among candidates, committee members". WGRZ-TV. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "PARTY RULES - DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE OF ERIE COUNTY" (PDF). September 28, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  4. ^ "Memorial and family history of Erie County, New York: biographical and genealogical" (PDF). Genealogical Publishing Company (Buffalo, N.Y.). 1906. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  5. ^ "JOHN CUNNEEN DIES IN BUFFALO; Former Attorney General of the State a Victim of Pneumonia. ILL ONLY TEN DAYS He Was the Only Democrat in the Administration in Which He Served". The New York Times. February 22, 1907. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  6. ^ "TALK OF MACK MOVE TO SLIGHT CONNERS; McCarren Men Say National Committeeman May Refuse to Certify Delegates. HELPS RUMP CONTESTANTS Hasenflug Offers McCarren His Proxy in the State Committee -- Mack Out for War to a Finish". The New York Times. April 19, 1908. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  7. ^ "FITZPATRICK WON'T MEDDLE.; Erie Boss Rejects Plea of Sulzer Committee". The New York Times. June 17, 1913. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "DEMOCRATIC QUARREL GROWS.; Decision on Buffalo Leadership Likely to Be Sought in Court". The New York Times. June 27, 1926. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  9. ^ "NEW POLITICAL FIGURE LOOMS IN BUFFALO; Henry M. Naylon, Head of Democratic Club, Backed Republicans in the Election". The New York Times. November 5, 1925. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  10. ^ Keppel, Angela (September 4, 2023). "Fuhrmann Blvd – Settle a 50 year Old Lawsuit, Get a Street Named After You". Discovering Buffalo, One Street at a Time. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  11. ^ "OLIVER CABANA JR., INDUSTRIALIST, DIES; Philanthropist and a Leader in Civic Affairs in Buffalo Is Stricken There at 72". The New York Times. January 22, 1938. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  12. ^ Fleming Jr., John R. (February 12, 1980). "John Stiglmeier, 'Mr. Baseball,' Dies". Buffalo Courier-Express. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  13. ^ "N.E. MACK BURIAL TO BE TOMORROW; Bishop Davis of Episcopal Church to Officiate at the Service in Buffalo. GOVERNOR SENDS MESSAGE Other Prominent Persons All Over Nation Pay Tribute to the Democratic Leader". The New York Times. December 27, 1932. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  14. ^ "EX-HEAD OF POLICE SEIZED IN BUFFALO; Higgins and Carr, Ex-Party Leader, Accused in Gambling Conspiracy20 INDICTMENTS VOTED New List Brings Total to 68 in 20 Months' Inquiry in Erie County". The New York Times. July 18, 1939. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  15. ^ "National Affairs: Trial by Jury". TIME. January 1, 1940. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  16. ^ "LEHMAN ARRIVES FOR INAUGURATION; State Also Represented by Delegations From All Democratic Organizations". The New York Times. January 20, 1937. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  17. ^ "Paul E. Fitzpatrick Is Dead at 79; A New York Democratic Chairman". The New York Times. July 2, 1977. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "UP-STATE LEADER IS OUT FOR MEAD; Doyle Starts Active Drive to Win the Governorship Nomination for Senator BENNETT STANDS FIRM In Fight to Finish, He Asserts -- Moskovit Urges Parley to End Party Strife". The New York Times. July 17, 1942. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  19. ^ "W.B. MAHONEY DIES; DEMOCRATIC LEADER; Lawyer Was the Erie County Party Chairman From 1947 to 1954 Served on Penal Law Panel". The New York Times. March 21, 1980. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  20. ^ "DEMOCRATIC CHIEF LOSES; Mahoney, Erie County Head Since '47, Beaten by Crotty". The New York Times. October 5, 1954. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  21. ^ Roberts, Sam (March 4, 1992). "Peter J. Crotty, Democratic Force In Western New York, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  22. ^ "Nation: Shuffle Off in Buffalo". TIME. November 17, 1961. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  23. ^ Borrelli, George (October 5, 1988). "SORRENTINO IS ELECTED CHIEF OF COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  24. ^ "SORRENTINO GETS STATE PARTY POST". The Buffalo News. October 3, 1992. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  25. ^ McCarthy, Robert J. (April 28, 1996). "PIGEON ENDORSED BY GORSKI CAMP". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  26. ^ Sondel, Justin (September 1, 2017). "The rise and fall of Steve Pigeon". City & State. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  27. ^ Ramirez, Anthony (November 3, 1999). "THE 1999 ELECTIONS: ERIE COUNTY; Republican Defeats Incumbent In Race for County Executive". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  28. ^ "Len Lenihan leaving as head of county Democrats". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. July 17, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  29. ^ a b Plants, Ron (June 2, 2025). "Buffalo's heated primary sparks controversy". WGRZ. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  30. ^ Jamele, Chris (September 30, 2012). "New Democratic Party Chairman is chosen". Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  31. ^ Plants, Ron (March 3, 2025). "Focus on dual roles for Erie Co. Democratic Party Chief/Elections Commissioner". WGRZ-TV. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  32. ^ a b Kelly, Geoff (April 21, 2025). "Two Buffalo candidates fight for ballot access". Investigative Post. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  33. ^ Kelly, Geoff (April 24, 2019). "Zellner's conflict of interest". Investigative Post. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  34. ^ Mellins, Sam (June 28, 2021). "Democratic Party Boss Obstructed India Walton's Underdog Candidacy,…". New York Focus. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  35. ^ a b Tan, Sandra (April 24, 2021). "Sheriff's candidate: Party chairman said she's 'not what a sheriff looks like'". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  36. ^ Sondel, Justin (April 29, 2025). "Michael Gainer knocked out of Democratic primary in Buffalo mayoral race". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  37. ^ Sondel, Justin (May 28, 2025). "Three Buffalo mayoral candidates qualify for independent party lines". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
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