Another Buffalo Politician Makes a Surprise Announcement

As the election season in New York begins to kick off, there have already been some ripples in Buffalo politics that have caused a few people to pay a little more attention and others to show more interest in running for elected office.

It seemed to get started when Buffalo Common Council President Darius G. Pridgen announced last month that he was stepping down from office at the end of his current term and would not seek to be reelected to the Buffalo Common Council. Now another powerful Buffalo elected official announced he is not running for re-election in 2023.

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On the morning of Saturday, February 11, 2023, at his monthly community breakfast meeting, Buffalo's Masten District Councilmember Ulysees O. Wingo, Sr. made an announcement that he also would not seek re-election to his seat representing the second the largest council district in Buffalo.

During his announcement, Wingo said that he has an employment opportunity outside of elected office to still help impact the community.

I have been given an offer by an organization to do the work that I am doing right now on a more personal level.
-Ulysees O. Wingo, Sr.

Wingo who was originally appointed to the Buffalo Common Council in September of 2015 to fill the vacancy after Demone Smith left office, will have served a total of two terms on the Buffalo Common Council. He was elected to his first term in November 2015 after beating Michael Woolford and reflected again in November 2019 when he defeated Veronica Golden.

With this news, Masten's 17,000 plus registered voters will be voting for a person to represent them in 2024. Former mayoral candidate India Walton has already announced she is running for election, with several other people currently considering if they will also seek office.

If you want to vote in the 2023 New York State Primary, an important deadline is coming up that you may need to be aware of.