The Chautauqua County Democratic Committee’s Committee to Fill Vacancies will be meeting Thursday in Jamestown hoping to replace the name of Margaret Cornell as the Democratic candidate in Chautauqua County Legislature District 12.

Norm Green, Chautauqua County Board of Elections Democratic commissioner, said in a news release that Cornell, who is the county and city party vice chair, declined the Democratic party’s nomination to be its candidate to take on Republican incumbent Elisabeth Rankin as the Jamestown north side representative on the Chautauqua County Legislature. Rankin also filed petitions for the Conservative and Independence parties.

The Jamestown Democratic Committee is continuing to accept applications to run for the $9,000 per year job, regardless of personal party affiliation. Jamestown Democratic Committee Chair Jim Walton can be reached at jimwalton422@msn.com or Chautauqua County Chair Green can be reached at chqdem@gmail.com with questions.

On Tuesday, Walton announced in a news release that the Jamestown Democratic Committee finished the petitioning season, gathering more than 600 signatures for Democratic mayoral candidate Eddie Sundquist and at-large candidates for the Jamestown city council: Tamu Graham-Reinhardt, Greg Rabb and Taylor Scott.

Petitions were also successfully circulated for candidates that include Ward 1 candidate Tim Smeal; Ward 2 candidate Tom Vitale; Ward 3 incumbent Vickye James; Ward 4 incumbent Marie Carrubba, council president; Ward 5 incumbent Maria Jones; and Ward 6 incumbent Tom Nelson.

On the team running for the Chautauqua County Legislature are incumbents Chuck Nazzaro and Paul Whitford along with Bob Whitney, who is running to regain his seat in Mayville.

In accordance with New York state election law, each political party is required to get the signatures of registered party voters in an election district. For city-wide candidates, 209 registered Democratic signatures were required. The city Democratic Party submitted those signatures, more than triple the required number, and qualified all Jamestown and Democratic county legislator positions to be placed on the ballot in November.

“I am thrilled at the level of enthusiasm and support our committee has seen for Eddie Sundquist and all of the ‘Team Jamestown’ candidates this year,” Walton said. “To triple our signature number sends a clear message that there is continued high energy among supporters of the team we have fielded this year. With the retirement of Sam Teresi, Jamestown mayor, he has provided us with the nucleus of his team and we hope to be able to improve and complement their efforts and introduce additional new ideas and programs that will keep Jamestown moving ahead.”

Added Sundquist, “I am humbled by the number of people volunteering countless hours to go out and get signatures. The response we have gotten along the way has been incredibly positive. People are looking towards the future of Jamestown, and I am ready to bring continued growth and opportunity to our city.”