BUFFALO, N.Y. — The opening weekend of early voting in Erie County had several thousand people show up to the polls, with a majority of them spurred to action by the Buffalo mayoral race.
Both mayoral candidates made stops across the city on Sunday.
Mayor Byron Brown hosted his weekly radio show and at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church on East North Street. India Walton was at a canvas launch in North Buffalo with actress and former New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon.
The Erie County Board of Elections Office announced that 3,371 people cast votes on Sunday, making the two-day early voting total 7,762. There are 618,862 registered voters countywide.
In Buffalo, 1,622 people cast their ballots on Sunday. That's down from 2,323 residents on Saturday. The two-day total however accounts for just over half of the ballots cast early in Erie County this weekend.
The Gloria J. Parks Community Center in the City of Buffalo's University District, across from the UB South Campus, had a steady stream of voters when 2 On Your Side stopped by Sunday afternoon.
Exactly one week remains for early voting statewide. Polls will be open from noon until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday in Erie County. Early voting hours on the weekend will be from noon to 6 p.m. Other Western New York counties have their own hours for early voting and can be found on their respective boards of elections websites.
The Buffalo mayoral race will only continue to heat up this week.
On Wednesday, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute will host a debate. St. Joe's has invited Mayor Brown, Democratic Party primary winner India Walton, and write-in candidate Benjamin Carlisle to take part.
The event is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. The event is not open to the public.