LOCKPORT — Niagara County voters decided today to reduce the size of the County

Legislature, and they placed the redistricting process in the hands of the Republican Party.

A proposition to cut the Legislature from 19 seats to 15, effective with the 2011 election,

passed overwhelmingly, with 83 percent of voters in favor.

And the Republicans, with help from adherents in other parties, maintained their 14-5

advantage over the Democrats on the legislative panel.

That means that when the new district boundaries are chosen in the spring of 2011, the map

will be drawn to suit the GOP.

"I expected this referendum would pass, based on feedback I received from my constituents,"

said Legislature Majority Leader Richard E. Updegrove, R-Lockport.

He said the main reason for placing the proposition on the ballot was to give taxpayers a

chance to make "major structural change" in county government.

The Republicans broke even today by winning a Niagara Falls seat that had been in

Democratic hands for decades, while voters elsewhere in the city were turning out an incumbent

who had caucused with the GOP despite his Democratic registration.

Vincent M. Sandonato, a 23-year-old legal assistant, won the 5th District in LaSalle for

the Republicans. He defeated 24-year-old Nicholas A. Melson, legislative director for

Democratic Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte.

The LaSalle seat had been held for 24 years by Democrat Sean J. O'Connor, who is retiring,

and before that by his father, Lloyd O'Connor.

But the 1st District along the lower Niagara River went for an organization Democrat,

Niagara Falls High School social studies teacher Richard A. Marasco.

Marasco defeated Jason J. Murgia, a registered Democrat who voted with the GOP.

Marasco, who was a Republican when he lost to Murgia two years ago, won despite undergoing

surgery for a brain tumor during the campaign; he said the tumor was not malignant.

The only other contested Legislature race in Niagara Falls saw Dennis F. Virtuoso, the

city's acting director of building inspection and the Legislature's minority leader, win his

10th term easily over Republican Mark A. Onesi.

In Lockport, Anthony J. Nemi, the city's assistant director youth and recreation, won his

second term by defeating Democrat Scott R. Stopa. Nemi is a member of the Independence Party,

votes with the GOP.

Another Independence Party member expected to take that path is Phillip R. "Russ" Rizzo,

who won North Tonawanda's 9th District over Democrat Christopher M. Perna. Rizzo, who served

eight years as a city alderman, is a former Democrat.

The only other contested race in North Tonawanda saw Republican incumbent Peter E.

Smolinski swamp Democrat Katie J. Rich in the 10th District.

Around the county, Legislature Chairman William L. Ross, a Wheatfield Conservative who is

part of the Republican-led majority, dumped Democrat Robert J. Collins in the 8th District.

Republican veteran Gerald K. Farnham was targeted by the Democrats, but he defeated Roger

L. Chenez for the second consecutive election in the 7th District, covering Pendleton and a

slice of the Town of Lockport.

Lewiston Republican John D. Ceretto, another former Democrat, was re-elected in the 12th

District over Democrat Daniel P. Antonucci.

Incumbents re-elected without opposition were Renae Kimble and Jason J. Cafarella, both D-

Niagara Falls; Danny W. Sklarski, D-Town of Niagara, a Republican adherent; Paul B. Wojtaszek,

R-North Tonawanda; Clyde L. Burmaster, R-Ransomville; Kyle R. Andrews, D-Wilson; W. Keith

McNall and Updegrove, both R-Lockport; John Syracuse, R-Newfane; and Michael A. Hill,

R-Hartland.

District 3 Coroner Kenneth V. Lederhouse, R-Lockport, won his seventh term over Lockport

Democrat Sandra L. Ben. District 2 Coroner Joseph V. Mantione, R-North Tonawanda, was

re-elected without an opponent.