2025 Buffalo mayoral election

← 2021 November 4, 2025 2029 →

Nominee Sean Ryan James Gardner Party Democratic Republican Alliance Working Families Conservative

Incumbent Mayor Christopher Scanlon (acting) Democratic

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v t e

The2025 Buffalo mayoral election will be held on November 4, 2025, to elect themayor ofBuffalo, New York.^[1]

Incumbent acting mayorChristopher Scanlon, who took office upon the resignation ofByron Brown, ran for a full term but was defeated in the Democratic primary by state senatorSean Ryan. TheRepublican Party nominated former countyassistant district attorney James Gardner, whileBuffalo ReUse founder Michael Gainer is running as an independent.

2025 Buffalo Democratic mayoral primary

← 2021 June 24, 2025 2029 →
Turnout	27% of registered Democrats
Candidate Sean Ryan Christopher Scanlon Popular vote 12,439 9,430 Percentage 46.4% 35.2%   Candidate Garnell Whitfield Rasheed Wyatt Popular vote 2,204 2,066 Percentage 8.2% 7.7%
Results by Common Council district Ryan:     20–30%     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Scanlon:     40–50%     50–60%     80–90%
Previous Democratic nominee India Walton Democratic nominee Sean Ryan

In anticipation of mayorByron Brown's resignation,South Buffalo councilman and fellow DemocratChristopher Scanlon was elected president of theBuffalo Common Council by a council vote on January 2, 2024.^[2] Scanlon had organized Brown'swrite-in campaign for the2021 Buffalo mayoral election that won him a fifth term.^[3] Brown resigned to becomechief executive officer ofWestern Regional Off-Track Betting on October 15, 2024, making Scanlon the acting mayor throughright of succession to serve out his remaining term.^[4]

State senatorSean Ryan was endorsed by theErie County Democratic Committee on February 22, 2025.^[5] The endorsement process faced criticism, as committee chairman Jeremy Zellner announced Ryan's endorsement several days before a vote was held among membership.^[6] Zellner denied rumors that he had pushed for Ryan's endorsement in exchange for being appointed to Ryan's state senate seat if he won mayorship.^[6] As both party chairman and self-appointed Erie Countyboard of elections commissioner, Zellner has been accused of having aconflict of interest with regards to elections andnominating petitions.^[7] Four candidates alleged impropriety in the endorsement process:Buffalo ReUse founder Michael Gainer, acting mayorChristopher Scanlon, formerBuffalo Fire commissionerGarnell Whitfield, and common councilor Rasheed Wyatt.^[6][8]

Michael Gainer was disqualified from the primary after Sean Ryan sued him inNew York Supreme Court, alleging hisnominating petition contained fraud.^[9] Gainer then successfully petitioned to run as anindependent candidate in the general election, and he will appear on the Restore Buffalo line.^[10] Christopher Scanlon also completed an independent petition for the general election.^[11] Garnell Whitfield's petition for an independent line was disqualified by the Erie County board of elections after a challenge by Scanlon's campaign.^[12]

Frontrunners Sean Ryan and Christopher Scanlon both launchedattack ads against each other in the leadup to the primary.^[13] Ryan's ads accused Scanlon of accepting donations from RepublicanCarl Paladino, while Scanlon's ads accused Ryan of endorsing2021 candidateIndia Walton and her platform todefund the police.^[13]

Sean Ryan won the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025.^[14] 27% of registered Democrats cast ballots, which was a highervoter turnout than the 2021 primary.^[15] 7,500 ballots were cast during the nine-dayearly voting period, up from 2,684 in 2021.^[16] Christopher Scanlon withdrew his independent bid following the primary and announced he would return to theBuffalo Common Council presidency, ensuring a new mayor would be decided in the general election.^[17]

Democratic candidates

Candidate	Experience	Announced	Ref
Sean Ryan	NY state senator for the61st district (2021–present) NY assemblymember for the149th district (2011–2021)	November 23, 2024 Website	[18]

• Christopher Scanlon, acting mayor^[19]
• Anthony Tyson-Thompson, former communications director for state assemblywomanCrystal Peoples-Stokes^[20]
• Garnell Whitfield, formerBuffalo Fire commissioner^[21]
• Rasheed Wyatt,common councilor for the University district^[22]

• Michael Gainer, member of theErie County Democratic Committee and founder ofBuffalo ReUse(running as an independent)^[23]

• Maggie Harter, community activist^[24]
• James McLeod, retired Buffalo City Court judge^[25]
• James Payne, community activist^[26]
• Terrence Robinson, community activist and Green nominee for mayor in2017^[24]

• India Walton, community organizer and nominee for mayor in2021^[27]

James Gardner was initially reported as being a placeholder candidate who would later give up his ballot line after the party nominated him to a judgeship inYonkers.^[60] He denied those claims, and declared his intention to compete in the general election.^[61]Erie County clerkMichael Kearns had reportedly offered to replace Gardner on the ballot.^[62]

Republican candidates

Candidate	Experience	Announced	Ref
James Gardner	Erie County assistant district attorney (2010–2017) Republican nominee for Erie County district attorney in 2024	February 27, 2025 Website	[63]

• Christopher Scanlon, acting mayor(Democratic)^[28]

TheWorking Families Party clarified that their nomination ofSean Ryan was contingent on him winning the Democratic primary.^[64] They reserved the right to rescind their nomination should he have been defeated, as the party historically does not endorsespoiler candidates.^[64] Ryan also said he would have withdrawn from the mayoral race if he lost the Democratic primary.^[65]

• Sean Ryan, state senator for the61st district(Democratic)^[64]

James Gardner has worked as a civil attorney for thelaw firm of Erie CountyConservative Party chairman Ralph Lorigo since January 2025.^[66][67]

• James Gardner, formerErie County assistant district attorney(Republican)^[12]

• Christopher Scanlon, acting mayor(Democratic)^[28]

Michael Gainer andChristopher Scanlon filedindependent petitions to run in the general election under new party lines, ensuring they would be able to continue their campaigns even if they failed to secure the Democratic nomination.^[11]Garnell Whitfield's independent petition was disqualified by theErie County board of elections after a challenge by Scanlon's campaign.^[12] Scanlon announced that he was withdrawing his independent candidacy, and would instead return to serving asBuffalo Common Council president.^[17]

Independent candidates

Candidate	Party	Experience	Announced	Ref
Michael Gainer	Restore Buffalo	Erie County Democratic Committee member (2024–present) Founder ofBuffalo ReUse	May 28, 2025 Website	[11]

• Garnell Whitfield, formerBuffalo Fire commissioner(Democratic)^[12]

• Ryan Caughill, emergency preparedness consultant(endorsed Whitfield)^[68]
• Christopher Scanlon, acting mayor(Democratic)^[17]

• Sean Ryan, state senator for the61st district^[69]
• Rasheed Wyatt,common councilor for the University district^[69]

Independent candidate Michael Gainer launched his general election bid by starting avoter registration campaign.^[70] Gainer seesZohran Mamdani's success in the2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary as proof that voters are eager to reject establishment politicians like Democratic nomineeSean Ryan.^[70]

Republican nominee James Gardner staged a press conference to launch his general election campaign on July 9, 2025.^[71] He likened Ryan toNew York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, claiming that Ryan is a supporter ofsocialism.^[71] Both Ryan and Mamdani are endorsed by theWorking Families Party, which Gardner describes as "extremist".^[72] Ryan dismissed Gardner's claims, withErie County Democratic Committee chair Jeremy Zellner saying he's "confident" Ryan will be victorious in November's election.^[72]

Ryan leads candidates in fundraising, with his top donors including developers Michael Chapman and Sam Savarino, former mayorAnthony Masiello, city contractor Alternative Information Systems, andelectronic cigarette mogul Alex Alarshi.^[73] A $1,500 donation by former mayorByron Brown was refused by Ryan's campaign, but Ryan did accept a $5,000 donation from Magellan Technologies, an electronic cigarette distributor under federal investigation.^[74][75] Gardner's campaign is primarily self-funded, with his top donors includingBuffalo Police officer Adam Wigdorski, the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, former congressmanChris Jacobs, and former parking commissioner Kevin Helfer.^[73] Gainer's campaign is also largely self-funded, with outside donations coming from Jacobs, developer Bill Breeser, and attorney Adam Walters.^[73]

Should Ryan win the mayorship, his state senate seat would be decided by a March 2026special election.^[76] State assemblymanJonathan Rivera declared his candidacy for Ryan's state senate seat on October 9, 2025.^[77] Jeremy Zellner plans on challenging Rivera for the state senate seat, and he criticized Rivera for announcing his candidacy prior to the mayoral election.^[77] Erie County Republican Committee chairman Michael Kracker also condemned Rivera's announcement, describing it as disrespectful to city voters.^[78]

Official campaign websites

• Michael Gainer (I) for Mayor
• James Gardner (R) for Mayor
• Maggie Harter (D) for Mayor
• James McLeod (D) for Mayor
• Sean Ryan (D) for Mayor
• Christopher Scanlon (D) for Mayor
• Anthony Tyson-Thompson (D) for Mayor
• Garnell Whitfield (D) for Mayor
• Rasheed Wyatt (D) for Mayor

• 2025 United States mayoral elections
• 2025 New York (state) elections
• Mayoral elections in Buffalo, New York
• 2020s in Buffalo, New York

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