Two races for the Chautauqua County Legislature feature fresh faces to legislative politics.

The District 6 race pits Kevin O’Connell of Silver Creek, endorsed by the Democratic and Working Families parties, against Gary Cerne of Irving, endorsed by the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties.

O’Connell has a degree in political science from Gannon University and years spent as a school teacher working in both general and special education. He has also served on the Hanover Planning Board, was elected to the Hanover Town Board in 2009 and serves as the deputy town supervisor. Cerne, meanwhile, is the former superintendent of the Dunkirk City School District and co-owns the Rose Brook Golf Course in Silver Creek.

Both are strong candidates who have said they want to control taxes and attract new business and industry to the county. We are struck by Cerne’s tenure as Dunkirk City School District superintendent, however, in which he played a pivotal role in stabilizing the district’s finances and helped secure the P-TECH Academy in Dunkirk. His experience and knowledge could be important given the uncertain nature of the NRG repowering efforts in the north county.

The race in District 16 is between Terry L. Walker, a Kennedy resident endorsed by the Democratic, Working Families and Independence parties, and John D. Davis, a Frewsburg resident endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties. The candidates come with different potential backgrounds to the legislature. Walker has experience in elected politics as a member of the Poland Town Board and owns and operates Walker’s Beef Farm in addition to being a retired electrician from SKF USA in Falconer. Davis is a longtime teacher at Frewsburg Central School who has had a lengthy involvement in the Frewsburg community through Trinity Lutheran Church. District 16 voters have a tough decision before them on Nov. 7, but we feel Walker’s background makes him the best choice for the legislature.