11-8-11: Courtesy of YNN. Here at the Erie County Democratic Election night headquarters, a pair of county-wide races are in the spotlight: the race for Erie County Executive and Erie County Clerk. The clerk race is to fill the final two years of Kathy Hochul’s three-year term; Hochul having left office for her successful congressional run back in May. Hochul has endorsed the Democratic candidate to replace her, Maria Whyte. The race for County Executive has been hotly contested. Democratic challenger Mark Poloncarz came into the race as a dark-horse candidate, with what appeared to be a large disadvantage in funding and supporters. But, recent polls have shown the race is a dead heat. Poloncarz has made a late push in fundraising, and also received support on Friday when Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Chuck Schumer came to town to support Poloncarz. “If the voters have the opportunity to have a say in their community for the next four years in Erie County, I feel confident. We’ve run a great campaign, we have a tremendous get out the vote operation. I just ran into a couple of our volunteers on the street out here talking to voters. I hear turnout is very good in the areas it needs to be good for myself like the city of Buffalo, and Lackawanna and Cheektowaga,” said Poloncarz, (D). Democrats are carefully watching voter turn-out. Democrats hold nearly a 2-to-1 advantage in registered voters in Erie County. The big X-Factor could be voter turnout in the city of Buffalo

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