bsentee ballots and affidavit ballots were counted Monday by the Chautauqua County Board of Elections that resolved several local elections. Pictured are Dunkirk mayoral candidates Shaun Heenan, a Republican, and incumbent Wilfred Rosas, a Democrat, reviewing ballots in Mayville. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

MAYVILLE — For the first time in more than a decade, the Republican Party has the majority of the nine-member Jamestown City Council.

On Monday, the Chautauqua County Board of Elections counted absentee and affidavit ballots for several races following general election on Nov. 5.

In Jamestown, incumbent Brent Sheldon, Republican, held on to defeat Timothy Smeal, Democrat, 399 to 380 votes following the counting of absentee and affidavit ballots Monday. Following Election Day, Sheldon held only a seven-vote lead, but received 12 more votes than Smeal — 44 to 32 — following the counting of the absentee and affidavit ballots.

The counting of the ballots occurred inside the Chautauqua County Board of Elections office in Mayville. The counting of the ballots included Norm Green, Chautauqua County Board of Elections Democratic commissioner, and Brian Abram, Chautauqua County Board of Elections Republican commissioner, along with candidates and attorneys, who combed through the remaining votes Monday, almost two weeks after initial voting.

This was not the first time Sheldon has been involved in an election that came down to the counting of absentee and affidavit ballots. When Sheldon was re-elected in 2013 — after a state law was changed that made him, an employee of county government, eligible again to run again for public office — he won a close election that came down to absentee and affidavit ballots. In 1995 following Sheldon’s first term on the council, Sheldon lost re-election following an absentee and affidavit ballot count.

“I’ve lost and won. It’s much better to win,” he said. “I appreciate those who voted, and voted by absentee and affidavit ballot.”

Following Sheldon’s victory, the Republican Party now has a 5-4 majority over the Democratic Party.

“That was one of our goals. We were hoping to have a Republican mayor and a Republican majority on the council too. We were able to meet one of those goals,” he said. “Now we will get ready to meet with the new mayor (Democrat Eddie Sundquist) and get to work to help the city of Jamestown.”

Sheldon, who is also the Jamestown Republican Party Committee chairman, said, now that the GOP has the majority for the first time since 2007, there will most likely be a new Republican president of the council. Democrat Marie Carrubba, Ward 4, has served as president the last two years.

“Looking at the experience, (Republican) Tony Dolce (Ward 2) has been on the council the longest and has earned the right to be the council’s president,” Sheldon said.

Dolce was just re-elected to his 13th term on the council. At the start of 2020, Dolce will start his 25th year on the council, which is the longest tenure on the governing body of anyone in the city’s history. Dolce, during his current term, passed Vivian Taylor, who served a little more than 23 years, as the longest serving council member in history.

Sheldon thanked Smeal for running a clean election. Smeal said that the close race proves that every vote is important.

“If anyone needs definitive proof that voting — and every vote — matters, this race is another illustration of that fact,” he said. “Based on (Monday’s) totals, less than half the registered voters actually cast a ballot, which is troubling. How can government do a better job of gaining the electorate’s trust and participation? I hope Councilman Sheldon decides to take that on in his next term.”

As for a possible run again for the Ward 1 seat or any other political office, Smeal said that is a question he will answer at a later date.

“It’s too early to say,” he said. “On one hand, I feel like I could have done a fine job of representing the folks in Ward 1. On the other hand, I don’t have to be referred to as a politician. So, there’s your yin and yang.”

In other absentee and affidavit ballot counts Monday, the county Board of Elections also tallied votes for races in Falconer, Ripley, Cherry Creek and Dunkirk.

In Falconer, Phil Ribaudo, a write-in candidate, received the most write-in votes with four to fill a vacancy on the Falconer Village Board.

In Dunkirk, incumbent Wilfred Rosas, Democrat, defeated Republican opponent Shaun Heenan 1,660 votes to 1,601 votes, respectively.

“I want to thank all of my supporters and especially my family, my wife and my children and my two brothers,” Rosas told The Post-Journal. “It was a tough election, but now that the election is over we need to unite and move the city forward. We do that by working together and making decisions that are in the best interests of the city.”

After votes were tallied – which Green noted were still unofficial until further review – Rosas retained his lead he held on election night, Nov. 5. Rosas had been up 1,590 votes to 1,542 votes, respectively.

“Willie” Rosas became the first elected Hispanic mayor of any city in New York state when he won the 2016 Dunkirk mayoral race.

Rosas acknowledged the potential impact of the tightly-contested race by calling for his supporters and detractors to come together following his win.

“We’ve made positive changes in the city and we are going to continue to make positive changes in the city,” Rosas said. “We’ve seen a lot good things happen not just in the city of Dunkirk but in Western New York. We are connected to the governor’s office and high officials in Albany and we’re going to continue to pursue that support so that we can continue to do good things and make positive changes in the city of Dunkirk.”

In Ripley, incumbent Michael Rowe, Democrat, received 375 votes and Phillip Chimera, Republican, received 313 votes, earning both candidates a spot on the council. Chimera was tied with Laurel Adams, a Democrat, at the end of election night at 308 votes. Adams was defeated with only 312 votes tallied in total after Monday.

In Cherry Creek, Bruce Hendricks, a Republican, defeated his opponents to earn the remaining council seat with 137 votes. Incumbent Ryan Lepp, a Democrat, received 113 votes and Matthew West, a Democrat, received 107 votes.