Burns, Troutman win judgeships
O’Donnell leads for 3rd state seat
Incumbent Justice Christopher J. Burns and Erie County Judge Shirley Troutman earned easy victories Tuesday in their elections for two seats on the State Supreme Court in Buffalo.
In the race for the third seat, Justice John F. O’Donnell was far ahead of Williamsville Justice Jeffrey F. Voelkl in most precincts in the eight counties of the Eighth Judicial District.
The four veteran judges vied for three spots on the state’s major trial court in Western New York.
One of the seats was left vacant after a scandal forced Justice Joseph G. Makowski to resign in March.
The justices serve 14-year terms and are paid $136,700 per year.
Burns and Troutman earned comfortable victories in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans and Allegany counties.
Burns had 32 percent of the vote, followed by 31 percent for Troutman and 22 percent for O’Donnell.
Voelkl was trailing far behind with 15 percent of the roughly 555,000 votes cast.
He was leading O’Donnell in tiny Wyoming and Orleans counties, but O’Donnell built large margins in Erie, Niagara and elsewhere.
The successes of Burns and Troutman were not unexpected. The chairmen of the Erie County Republican and Democratic parties had agreed in September to cross-endorse Troutman, a Democrat, and Burns, a Republican, all but ensuring victory.
“I’m humbled by it, but I’m also excited by it and very grateful,” Burns, 57, told supporters at an election night gathering.
Burns previously served as an assistant district attorney in Erie County, a Town of Tonawanda justice and an associate justice with the Appellate Division in Rochester.
Troutman, 50, formerly was an assistant United States attorney, an assistant district attorney and a Buffalo City Court judge.
She is an an acting State Supreme Court justice and an adjunct professor at the University at Buffalo Law School.
In November 2002 she became the first African American woman elected a judge at the county court level in this state.
O’Donnell, 65, is a Democrat and the husband of the former U. S. attorney for Western New York, Denise E. O’Donnell.
He previously served as presiding judge of the state’s Integrated Domestic Violence Court.
Voelkl, 41, a Republican, is a partner in the Williamsville law firm and frequently serves as an acting Buffalo City Court judge.
Voelkl unsuccessfully ran for a State Supreme Court seat last year.
News Staff Reporter Jay Rey contributed to this report. swatson@buffnews.com
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