Bourke, Sobieraski both file petitions for multiple parties on ballot for sheriff
Candidates will square off in June 25 primary
ALBION – The two candidates for Orleans County sheriff both submitted petitions this week to run under multiple party lines for Orleans County sheriff.
Chris Bourke
Chris Bourke, the current undersheriff, and Brett Sobieraski, a Rochester Police Department sergeant, both submitted petitions to be the candidate for the Republican and Independence parties. In addition, Bourke submitted petitions to run under the Conservative Party.
They are both seeking to succeed Randy Bower as sheriff. Bower opted against running for re-election.
The candidates need at least 3.75 percent of the signatures of the registered voters in each party to qualify for the party line. Normally a candidate would need at least 5 percent of the signatures of registered voters in a party but the state reduced the number to qualify this year because the election calendar has moved up.
Normally the primaries are in September. This year the primary will be June 25.
Sobieraski and Bourke both have been attending numerous events in the county, seeking support for their candidacies.
Brett Sobieraski
Bourke, a Carlton resident, has been the undersheriff for the past three-plus years. He has worked with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for 35 years, starting his career as a correction officer and then was a deputy sheriff before working 18 years as a lieutenant. He was supervisor of the Marine Patrol, and also was a K9 officer for 20 years.
Sobieraski, a Kent resident, started his career in Lockport and worked there for four years. He grew up in Lockport, where his late father John was a detective. His uncle also worked for the Lockport PD and Sobieraski’s cousin is a police officer for Lockport.
Sobieraski went to the Rochester Police Department about 26 years ago. He supervises the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and is a team leader on the SWAT Team. Brett is also an instructor at the Monroe County Law Enforcement Academy.
In addition to the petitions to run for sheriff, other candidates for county offices include the seven current county legislators. They include:
• Legislators at-large (countywide): Merle “Skip” Draper (R) of Medina, E. John DeFilipps (R) of n Clarendon and Don Allport (R) of Gaines.
• Legislator District 1 (towns of Clarendon, Barre and most of Shelby): Bill Eick (R) of Shelby
• Legislator District 2 (towns of Yates, Ridgeway and small portion of Shelby): Lynne Johnson (R) of Lyndonville
• Legislator District 3 (towns of Albion and Gaines): Fred Miller (D)
• District 4 (towns of Carlton, Kendall and Murray): Ken DeRoller (R) of Kendall
Miller is the lone Democrat on the Legislature. He isn’t facing opposition from a Republican.
The petitions aren’t final, yet. People can file an objection to a candidate’s petitions. Those objections will then be reviewed by the election commissioners.
