In the general election, Brown went on to defeat Republican challenger Kevin Helfer, former member of the Buffalo Common Council for the University District, as well as two minor-party candidates.

In addition to Brown, candidates for the Democratic nomination for Mayor in 2005 included Brown's predecessor as State Senator for the 57th District, Al Coppola, attorney and government reform advocate Kevin Gaughan, restaurateur Steven Calvaneso, neighborhood activist and perennial candidate Judith Einach, and Erie County Democratic Committee member Darnell Jackson.

[2] Coppola dropped out of the race early, while the latter two hopefuls were removed from the ballot in August 2005 by the Erie County Board of Elections due to petition irregularities,[3] leading to a three-way contest between Brown, Gaughan and Calvaneso for the Democratic nomination.

[4] Despite the fact that Brown was cross-endorsed by the Erie County Conservative Party under the terms of New York State's electoral fusion law,[2] Republican candidate Kevin Helfer mounted an unprecedented write-in campaign[6] in the Conservative primary election on September 13, 2005, that was described as "crucial" for his hopes to win the general election.

Despite the petition irregularities which kept her off the ballot in the Democratic primary, Judith Einach was able to secure the nomination of the Green Party and contest the general election.