Rochester Gears Up for November After Tuesday’s Democratic Primaries

Voters in Rochester headed to the polls on Tuesday, June 24, delivering clear results for the city’s key local races. Incumbents and fresh faces alike claimed top spots in both the Rochester City Council and the City School Board primaries, setting the stage for a consequential November general election.

City Council (At‑Large Seats)

Five candidates emerged victorious in the race for at-large council seats. All winners will advance to the general election this November:

Chiara "KeeKee" Smith, LaShunda Leslie-Smith, Mitch Gruber, Miguel Melendez, Stanley Martin

Stanley Martin (Incumbent) led the pack with 6,162 votes (≈11%)

Miguel Meléndez Jr. (Incumbent, current Council President) took 5,743 votes (~10%)

Mitch Gruber (Incumbent) won 5,696 votes (~10%)

LaShunda Leslie‑Smith captured 5,693 votes (~10%)

Chiara “Kee Kee” Smith rounded out the top five with 5,175 votes (~9%)

Collectively, the council’s incumbents and the two newcomers, Leslie‑Smith and Chiara Smith, demonstrated strong voter support—eclipsing challengers by hundreds of votes.

School Board (Three Open Seats)

In a primary that effectively secured three seats (no other parties have candidates on the general election ballot), voters selected:

Camille Simmons, Heather Feinman, Kareem‑Ba McCullough

Heather Feinman

Camille Simmons (Incumbent Board President) with 8,881 votes (~32%)

Kareem‑Ba McCullough earned 8,314 votes (~30%)

Heather Feinman took 6,235 votes (~22%)

Simmons, McCullough, and Feinman will square off in November. With no direct opposition outside the Democratic field, their primary success effectively secures their spots on the school board.

These nominations set the slate for the November 4 general election, where all five City Council nominees and the three School Board nominees will face off—likely without opposition from other parties.

The newly elected school board members will join just in time for the arrival of a new superintendent, Eric Jay Rosser, who takes the helm at RCSD on July 1

Public forums, policy debates, and voter outreach efforts are expected to heat up in the coming months as community concerns—ranging from education to public safety—spark broader discussions about the future of Rochester.