May 21, 2024
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Democratic challengers best incumbent GOP slate in race for Oswego village president, three board seats

By David Petesch
Oswego Village President candidate Ryan Kauffman answers questions Monday evening, March 20, 2023 at a candidate forum held by the Oswego Chamber of Commerce at the Oswego Fire Protection District at 3511 Woolley Road.

Oswego Village President candidate Ryan Kauffman answers questions Monday evening, March 20, 2023 at a candidate forum held by the Oswego Chamber of Commerce at the Oswego Fire Protection District at 3511 Woolley Road. (David Petesch)

OSWEGO – With all 24 precincts reported Tuesday evening, April 4, unofficial results showed Democratic candidate Ryan Kauffman the apparent winner in the race for village president over incumbent Troy Parlier, a Republican.

The unofficial results showed Kauffman with 2,947 votes to 2,432 for Parlier.

Village voters had their choice between an even split of Democratic and Republican candidates, each on opposing slates for village president and three open board seats.

Kaufmann’s slate of Democratic Village Board candidates, Karin McCarthy-Lange, Luis Perez and Andrew Torres, garnered more votes than incumbent trustees James Marter II and Terry Olson and Planning and Zoning Commission member Jason Kapus, running as Republicans.

McCarthy-Lange, Perez and Torres tallied 3,011, 2,831 and 2,841 ballots, respectively, to Marter, Olson and Kapus’ 2,160, 2,329 and 2,163, respectively.

Kauffman said in a Facebook post Tuesday evening, “Oswego, thank you so much for your votes and your trust in me as a candidate. This is the privilege and honor of a lifetime. I had so much fun running for Oswego Village President and I especially loved having the opportunity to talk to voters during this campaign!”

On Wednesday April 5, Kauffman said he attributed his apparent victory to voter turnout.

“Democrats showed up and I think we were able to convince enough Republican and middle of the road voters, that we were able to run away with it,” Kauffman said.

Kauffman extended his congratulations to Parlier and the rest of the candidates. He thanked everyone who ran, saying it is not easy to put your name on a ballot and be subject to public scrutiny.

To Oswego residents, Kauffman said, “Whether you voted for me or not, I’m going to work hard every day for you. I bring a servant’s heart to the office and I plan on serving everyone in this community equally and fairly.”

Kauffman said the first things he will do after being sworn in will be repairing relationships with the Oswego SD308 Board of Education, forming an ethics committee and putting a cap on gaming licenses in the village.

The vote totals do not include all ballots, particularly provisional and late-arriving mail-in ballots. Vote totals for write-in candidates are rarely get released on election night and, in some cases, county clerks do not publish them until results are certified two weeks after the election.