Michael Gainer

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Michael Gainer

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

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Michael Gainer (independent) ran for election for Mayor of Buffalo in New York. He lost in the general election on November 4, 2025. He was disqualified from the Democratic primary scheduled on June 24, 2025.

Elections

2025

See also: Mayoral election in Buffalo, New York (2025)

General election

General election for Mayor of Buffalo

Sean Ryan defeated James Gardner and Michael Gainer in the general election for Mayor of Buffalo on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean Ryan (D / Working Families Party)	71.8	30,497
	Submit photo	James Gardner (R)	22.7	9,654
	Submit photo	Michael Gainer (Independent)	4.6	1,966
		Other/Write-in votes	0.9	371

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 42,488
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Garnell Whitfield (Independent)
• Christopher Scanlon (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo

Sean Ryan defeated incumbent Christopher Scanlon, Garnell Whitfield, Rasheed Wyatt, and Anthony Tyson-Thompson in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo on June 24, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean Ryan	46.4	12,439
		Christopher Scanlon	35.1	9,430
	Submit photo	Garnell Whitfield	8.2	2,204
		Rasheed Wyatt	7.7	2,066
	Submit photo	Anthony Tyson-Thompson	2.4	642
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	51

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,832
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• James A. W. McLeod (D)
• Michael Gainer (D)

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. James Gardner advanced from the Republican primary for Mayor of Buffalo.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Sean Ryan advanced from the Working Families Party primary for Mayor of Buffalo.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Gainer in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael Gainer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2025 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2025 Elections

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Candidate

Mayor of Buffalo

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