Carpenter to be reelected in Town of Niagara; MacSwan reelected in Town of Wheatfield

By Benjamin Joe and Staff Reports

The Town Board race between one incumbent and three challengers was decided Tuesday in the Town of Niagara.

Deputy Supervisor Marc Carpenter was reelected again in his 10^th run for office. Carpenter won 583 votes out of 1,725 cast — 33.80% – per Niagara County Board of Elections unofficial results.

“I want to thank the voters of the Town of Niagara for trusting me with another term,” Carpenter said. “I truly appreciate the support they’ve given me over the many years. This town has been my home for over 50 years, and I love living here with all the wonderful amenities that we get to enjoy in our great town and community.”

Carpenter ran under the Democratic Party’s endorsement, as well as that of the Conservative Party.

And taking Councilman Charles Teixeira’s seat at the dais will be a familiar face, Robert Herman. Teixeira did not run for reelection.

Herman won 516 votes, approximately 30% of the final count of ballots. He, like Carpenter, also ran under the Democratic Party’s endorsement, as well as that of the Conservative Party.

Herman was the Town of Niagara highway superintendent until 2023, when he stepped down for health reasons. Before taking the place of Mike Moyer as highway superintendent, who resigned in 2011, Herman served a portion of his elected councilman term as deputy supervisor.

He said he learned a lot about the town’s highway department during his time in the role of superintendent – and seeing as he enjoyed working as an elected official, as well as the degree of professionalism he’d attained throughout his career – it was almost a foregone conclusion that he’d return to public office again.

Herman said two of his four sons still lived locally in the town, and he and his wife both care “greatly” about the Town of Niagara.

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the board,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot as highway superintendent and being on the board before. I really felt compelled to get back on the board, so I can help our town. You learn a lot working in different departments, and that’s what I did. I’m looking forward to it. I love our town, and I want to keep it on track. I feel I can add something to the board, which is why I got involved (again).”

The two Republicans candidates were Donald Schildhauer, who took 365 votes, or approximately 21% of the vote; and Vernon Lohan, received 254 votes, or 14.72% of the ballots.

Voters also selected Josephine Brevetti-Runkle (813/99.63%) as town justice. She ran unopposed.

MacSwan reelected in Town of Wheatfield

Over in the Town of Wheatfield, incumbent Republican Supervisor Don MacSwan ran unopposed and received 1,790 votes (97.76%)

GOP Town Board candidates Randy Retzlaff (1,756/49.76%) and Curt Doktor (1,714/48.57%) also ran unopposed and will take the two available seats.

In the race for town justice, Gary Strenkoski (2,077/51.17%) and Rodney Giove (1,958/48.24%) ran with no opposition and will claim the two available positions.