Deskin to challenge Streit in Lockport mayoral race, Lockport District 205 has 6 seats up for election

Lockport — The deadline to file candidacy papers for the municipal elections on April 1, 2025 was Nov. 18, meaning that ballots for candidates in Lockport can be set.

In the city of Lockport Mayor Steven Streit has chosen to run for a fourth term, but will face opposition from Third Ward Alderman Darren Deskin, whose city council term does not expire until 2027.

The other city council member from the Third Ward, Alderwoman Christina Bergbower, will face a challenge from Timothy Russ.

First Ward Alderwoman Susan King, who was appointed to fill the seat of Patrick Sheehan, will run for a full term against Mark Lobes and Second Ward Alderman Patrick McDonald will run against Joseph Fracaro.

Fourth Ward Alderwoman Renee Saban will not be running for reelection in 2025, and Steve Cardamone is running unopposed for her seat.

City Clerk Kathy Gentile and City Treasurer David Playa are both running unopposed for reelection.

District 205

In Lockport Township High School District 205, an unusually high number of seats are up for election in 2025.

Two members of the board will be elected to two-year seats after vacancies were temporarily filled by the resignation of board member Marty Boersma and the death of board member Sandra Chimon Rogers earlier this year.

Lance Thies, who also works as the Community and Economic Development director for the city of Lockport, was appointed to Boersma’s seat in the spring, while Candace Gerritsen was appointed to fill Chimon Rogers’ seat in August.

Thies will run in April 2025 to serve the remaining two years of his term, while Gerritsen has chosen to run for a full four-year seat.

Running with Thies for the two two-year positions are Michaelene O’Halloran, James A. Shake, Ron Farina, and current Board President Ann Lopez-Caneva.

According to District 205 Superintendent Robert McBride, “Candidates who must stand for election may petition to be on the ballot for any of the open positions” and Lopez-Caneva decided to run for the shorter term, while Gerritsen ran for the full four-year seat, though he did not offer insight as to why the board members made the decisions they did.

All five candidates will appear together on the ballot and voters will be asked to select two choices. The top two vote-earners will be elected to the board.

Joining Gerritsen in the race for four, four-year terms on the board are incumbents Lou Ann Johnson and Zyan Navarra, as well as Theresa “Tammy” Hayes, Thomas “Tommy” Hill, Scott Nyssen, James “Jay” Rotti, Paul Lencioni, Eric Nush, Michael Deane, and Wendy Streit, the wife of Mayor Steven Streit.

Voters will be asked to select up to four candidates, and the top four vote earners will win seats on the board.

Board Member Michael Travis will not seek reelection in 2025.