It’s Election Day! The polls are open until 9:00 p.m. This year is considered an off-year election but the lion-share of local government offices are up today. Not sure where to vote? Click here to find your polling place: https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us
Don't forget to flip over your ballot. In Onondaga County there are four referendum measures to be voted on. In the rest of the area they're are three; and the first three are the same. Proposition 1 is about a State Constitutional Convention. From Conservative Groups to the State Teacher's Union, there has been a lot of coverage, and money spent talking about how to vote on Prop 1. Proposition 2 deals with giving a judge the ability to take away the pensions of politicians found guilty of corruption. Proposition 3 is asking voters to allow no more than 250 acres of the Adirondack Wildlife Preserve to be used for municipal services. Proponents say that this will make life easier for those living there. Those against the proposition say that this is a slipper-slope and could be used to chip-away at the 'Forever Wild' provision that protects the Adirondacks in the State Constitution.
The fourth proposition for Onondaga County voters only would merge the Corrections Department which is now under the auspicious of the County Executive to the Sheriff's Office. This is the standard practice in most other counties in New York and if it passes should save the county money. Opponents say it will take away good paying law enforcement jobs.
Races we're watching in Syracuse are the Mayoral Election, the Syracuse Common Council, and City Court. The Mayoral Race has largely developed into a two party race between Democrat Juanita Perez Williams and Independent Ben Walsh. Perez Williams defeated the Democrat Party designate Joe Nicoletti in a primary in September. Walsh, who you may know of his Father and Grandfather, is running as an Independent. Polls, both public and internal political polling, shows that Walsh has been gaining momentum since the primary. Some of those polls has Walsh leading Perez Wiliams by fractions of a percentage beyond the polls margin of error.
On the Common Council Term-Limited 5th District Councilor Nader Maroon will be replaced in the 5th District by beat boxing progressive Joe Driscoll. Term-Limited 4th District Councilor Kalid Bey is running for Councilor-At-Large. Tim Rudd, Norm Snyder, and Frank Cetera are vying for one of the other available at-large spots. In the 4th Ward, Democrat Latoya Allen is running in a three-way race against the Green Party's Serena Seals and Independent Quante Wright.
We're also watching the Onondaga County Legislature to see if complaints by political insiders about 'Trump Fatigue' are founded. Republicans holds a supermajority on the County Legislative body. They are expected to maintain their majority.
The 6th District has been a war of mailers. The focus has been over incumbent Republican Mike Plochacki's law license. His Democrat Challenger Joe Paduda had claimed that Plochocki's law license had expired. Plochacki did forget to pay a fee associated with maintaining the license. He has since paid it and is again in good standing with the State Bar Association.
The 7th District is a race for an open seat. Legislator Danny Liedka announced he was not seeking re-election after getting a promotion at his job. Courtney Hills is the Republican running in place of Liedka. She is facing a challenge by Democrat Tom Buckel.
9th District Legislator Peggy Chase is running unopposed for her Legislative seat. Syracuse Police say that Peggy Chase was driving her car in Eastwood and hit an elderly man outside the Palace Theater last week. Investigators say that she was distracted at the time of the crash.
Democrat Chuck Keller and Republican John McBrde are fighting for the open seat in the 11th District. Legislator Patrick Kilmartin is running for Onondaga Town Justice.
In Madison County there is a special election for Sheriff. The Democrat Undersheriff John Ball is running against Republican Todd Hood. Former Sheriff Allen Riley was appointed by Gov. Cuomo as a commissioner on the State Commission of Correction. Undersheriff John Ball has been the acting Sheriff since June. The Undersheriff has been in the administrative position for the last seven years.
In nearly every Town in Central New York there are Supervisor, Councilor, Clerk, and Justice races. In some there are also contentious Assessor and Highway Superintendent races. In our villages there are man mayoral races and races for village trustee.
If you have questions about what Elections you can vote for check out vote411.org. Another place to go is to check out your local Board of Election website.