Leah Halton-Pope heads to Albany after un­con­tested election, raising questions about how she got on the ballot – Spectrum News

Leah Halton-Pope heads to Albany after un­con­tested election, raising questions about how she got on the ballot  Spectrum News

Halton-Pope is replacing one of Western New York’s most influential state lawmakers. BUFFALO, N.Y. — Leah Halton-Pope is heading to Albany to represent Buffalo’s 141st Assembly District, succeeding longtime Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes. But unlike most candidates, Halton-Pope didn’t have an opponent on Election Day. Her name was the only one listed in the race, following a nomination process that put Democratic Party leaders, rather than primary voters, in charge of selecting Peoples-Stokes’ successor. In a one-on-one interview with Spectrum News 1 before the election, Halton-Pope defended that process, arguing other candidates still had an opportunity to run. “I don’t believe that that’s the case at all,” Halton-Pope said when asked whether party leaders had effectively chosen the district’s next representative.

“There was still an option no matter what.” Halton-Pope is no stranger to Buffalo politics, or to the woman she’s replacing. She previously worked for Peoples-Stokes in Albany, rising to senior adviser and deputy chief of staff. She later worked at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center before winning a seat on Buffalo’s Common Council. Since January 2024, Halton-Pope has represented the Ellicott District and served as the council’s majority leader. Now, she’s preparing to return to Albany, this time as an elected lawmaker. On election night, Peoples-Stokes introduced Halton-Pope to a crowd of Democrats, marking a transition between two political