There are just a few days until voters go to the polls for the primary elections.

Key races in Monroe County involve the Monroe County Legislature.

The primary in the 27th Legislative District could bring a shift in the balance of power, even though both the incumbent and her challenger are Democrats.

“Bold leadership is what residents want and bold leadership is what they deserve," said Sabrina LaMar, president of the Monroe County Legislature representing the 27th District, “Folks have really been looking for something different, not just your regular status quo. They wanted to see somebody who has new ideas, fresh ideas, and bold leadership and I’ve been delivering that for them.”

LaMar is the designated candidate of the Monroe County Democratic Committee. However, she caucuses with the Republicans, making her vote one that can tip the scale for proposed legislation, stating, “When folks call me when they’re in need, they never ask, ‘are you a Democrat or are you a Republican?’"

“This community has not seen any true leadership in their county representation," said LaMar’s challenger, Rose Bonnick, who makes clear that she will not caucus with the Republicans. “First and foremost, I would go into county government working with my Democratic caucus teammate. It wouldn’t be an antagonistic relationship because you get nothing done if you cannot work in cooperation and collaboration with your own Democratic caucus members. You get nothing done.”

LaMar said, “It’s not about who I’m caucusing with and honestly when you’re the president, you have to work with both sides of the aisle, and legislation is passed bipartisanly all the time. And so I’ve just been the bridge, I’ve been the bridge between both parties to get things done in the community for our county.”

Bonnick works as the community service coordinator in New York State Sen. Jeremy Cooney’s Office, choosing to run when the neighborhood Walgreens closed its doors.

“I feel like I am in the ideal position to address these issues for voters in this community," said Bonnick.

The 27th District covers the Southwest side of the city of Rochester, including the city’s 19th Ward and Frederick Douglass-Greater Rochester International Airport. And now, with the recent redistricting adjustments, a portion of the town of Gates.

“One thing that Gates and the 19th Ward share is the rash of car thefts, right, and the rash of violence period. It’s affecting not just folks in the city but folks in the suburbs too," said LaMar.

Earlier this month, LaMar called on Monroe County to join other municipalities in suing Kia and Hyundai following the hundreds of car thefts.

As she campaigns, she talks with voters about their concerns and the priorities she is working on at the county level – violence, ban the box, workforce development, funding for agencies and mental health services.

“I think that especially in the last two years, I’ve shown that I am willing to work with anyone who has the same mindset to do what’s right for the community and I think it’s paying off," said LaMar.

Bonnick says her most concerning issue is quality affordable housing, followed by education, then crime – all under a general quality of life umbrella – touting experience and commitment to her party.

“Having lived as a single parent and mother of three and having faced the challenges I faced, I know without a shadow of a doubt that these are the same challenges that people in this community are facing," said Bonnick, "I feel that I can bring that level of experience and perspective to the role of county legislator and be a great representative, Democratic representative to the people of this district because that is what they deserve – they deserve somebody who’s got their back as a Democrat, I’m not saying anybody else, but as a true Democrat.”

LaMar says, “I am a Democrat, I’ve always been a Democrat and I’ve never had intentions of changing my party, but sometimes tough decisions needed to be made and I made a tough decision and that was for the betterment of my district and for my constituents. They’re not looking for your typical go-along to get along politicians…They’re looking for people who are actually going to do the work for them, by any means necessary.”

Chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Committee, Stephen DeVay offered comments for this story, including, "MCDC’s hope in both next week’s Primary and the General Election in November – when all 29 legislators are up for reelection – is to add to our majority so the County Legislature has a true Democratic caucusing majority – meaning a majority that caucuses together and works collaboratively with the administration.”

There are 29 seats in the Monroe County Legislature, seven of those in the upcoming primary taking place on Tuesday.