Republicans will continue to have the majority in the Chautauqua County Legislature.

On Tuesday, 13 Republican candidates and five Democratic candidates were elected, with Bill Ward in District 18 being endorsed by both the Democratic and Republican parties.

PJ Wendel, R-Lakewood, was at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Jamestown on election night said he looks forward to the continued collaboration the legislature has had in past years.

“I’m looking forward to everyone working together next year and moving forward,” he said.

Of the incumbent legislators who faced a challenge, only Kevin O’Connell, D-Silver Creek, lost his re-election bid to Thomas Hermon, who led by 66 votes, 855 to 789, according to the unofficial results posted by the Chautauqua County Board of Elections.

In the other competitive races, Ward defeated Martin Proctor and Richard Syper; incumbent John Davis, R-Frewsburg, defeated Gerrit Cain; incumbent Kevin Muldowney, R-Dunkirk, defeated Ronald Hall and Phillips Collier; incumbent Robert Scudder, R-Fredonia, defeated Christopher Schaeffer; incumbent Christine Starks, D-Fredonia, defeated Melanie Mann; and incumbent Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, defeated Jeffry Sayers.

There will be a new legislator who ran unopposed, but isn’t a stranger to Mayville. Robert Whitney, D-Jamestown, won another two-year term on the legislature. Whitney was first elected to the legislature in 2011 before losing in 2013.

Republican incumbents that were re-elected included Mark Odell, R-Brocton, in District 7; Pierre Chagnon, R-Bemus Point, Paul Wendel, R-Lakewood, District 10; Elisabeth Rankin, R-Jamestown, in District 12; Daniel Pavlock, R-Sinclairville, in District 14; Lisa Vanstrom, R-Jamestown; in District 15; Frank J. Gould, R-Ashville; in District 17; and John Hemmer, R-Westfield, in District 19.

Democratic incumbents that were re-elected included Robert Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, in District 2; Charles Nazzaro, D-Jamestown, District 9; and Paul Whitford, D-Jamestown, district 13.