Who is running for Niagara County Coroner, District 1 in 2026?

Private citizen

Amy J. Chmiel is the Republican and Conservative candidate for Niagara County Coroner, District 1, which covers Niagara Falls¹. The Niagara County Republican Committee named her its endorsed coroner candidate at its March 2026 petition kickoff². The seat is open because incumbent Gary D. Strassburg, appointed by the Legislature in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, is not on the ballot³⁴⁵¹.

• No official county source, campaign site or news profile describing Chmiel's occupation or prior public service was found; the county Republican committee's March 2026 endorsement list identifies her only as its coroner candidate².
• Niagara County coroners are elected by district; the Legislature has filled past District 1 vacancies by appointment, and in December 2017 it raised coroner pay from $17,500 to $25,500 a year³⁴.
• First-time candidate for this office as far as the sources reviewed show; nominated on the Republican and Conservative lines for the November 3, 2026 election¹².

Private citizen

Clayburn J. Powell is the Democratic candidate for Niagara County Coroner, District 1, which covers Niagara Falls; he appears on the Democratic line only¹. The Niagara County Democratic Committee listed him among its endorsed local candidates in March 2026². The seat is open because incumbent Gary D. Strassburg, appointed by the Legislature in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, is not on the ballot³⁴⁵¹.

• No official county source, campaign site or news profile describing Powell's occupation or prior public service was found; the county Democratic committee's March 2026 endorsement list identifies him only as its coroner candidate for the Niagara Falls district².
• Niagara County coroners are elected by district; the Legislature has filled past District 1 vacancies by appointment, and in December 2017 it raised coroner pay from $17,500 to $25,500 a year³⁴.
• First-time candidate for this office as far as the sources reviewed show; nominated on the Democratic line for the November 3, 2026 election¹².