BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Democrat Kevin Hardwick won the race for Erie County Comptroller, earning the backing of voters to ensure the fiscal accountability of Erie County government for the next four years.
Republican Lynne Dixon called Hardwick to concede just before 11 p.m. Tuesday. With 98% of precincts reporting, Hardwick led by more than 12,000 votes, 107,777 to 95,210.
Buffalo mayor race: India Walton vs. Byron Brown live updates
Hardwick has been an Erie County Legislator representing the Town of Tonawanda, City of Tonawanda and Grand Island since 2009. He is also a Canisius College professor who has his Ph.D. in Political Science from SUNY Binghamton.
Hardwick will replace Stefan Mychajliw, who had served as county comptroller since winning a special election in 2012. He ran for Hamburg Town Supervisor this year.
Dixon, the current deputy comptroller, is a former Erie County Legislator who ran unsuccessfully for county executive in 2017.
The race grew contentious in late October when a mailer paid for by Friends of Lynne Dixon was sent out to voters claiming Hardwick was a “Pro-Trump Conservative.” County Executive Mark Poloncarz called the mailer “trash.”
New York state comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat, endorsed Hardwick in the race.
Libertarian Duane Whitmer was a distant third in the race with just over 1,500 votes.