Early voting in Onondaga County began on Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 2. Some residents said they are hoping new public officials can solve some of the issues they are concerned with. 

“We can’t complain about anything if we haven’t had a say in doing anything about it,” Syracuse resident Debbie Fitzroy said after casting her ballot. 

About 20% more residents came out for early voting in Onondaga County this year than in the last off-year elections in 2023. Grant Reeher, senior research associate at the Campbell Public Affairs Institute and a professor of political science at Syracuse University, credits the increase to residents feeling overwhelmed by current events.

“It’s simply the heightened political or the heightened intensity of all the political issues in the country right now, in addition to in the state,” Reeher said. 

The intensity will hopefully bring more people into the system and make them more attentive, Reeher said. 

Many early voters voiced that it seemed more important than ever to fulfill their civic duty by voting. 

“People have become so desensitized,” Fitzroy said. “They don’t read; they don’t care. They don’t believe they can change anything.” 

Among the issues that early voters in Onondaga County said brought them to the polls were job security, homelessness, taxes, lead contamination, gun violence and trust in local government. 

Job security

Onondaga County residents said they are concerned with job security amid the beginning of the Micron investment and the Interstate 81 viaduct reconstruction. However, they do hope these projects encourage people to put down roots in the community and expand employment opportunities in the area. Micron alone is expected to bring over 50,000 jobs.

The economy’s performance right now is causing concerns about the future, especially regarding inflation, Reeher said. These concerns have led voters to the polls in hopes that officials prioritize their employment needs.  

Homelessness and poverty concerns

Syracuse residents mentioned the city’s battle with homelessness as a concern. The number of homeless families in New York has nearly doubled from 2022 to 2024 and accounts for about one-fifth of the national homeless population, according to data from the New York state Comptroller’s Office. 

In Central New York, family homelessness now surpasses individual homelessness.

In Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga counties, homelessness increased 60% between 2019 and 2024 — and is steadily increasing in 2025, according to the Housing & Homeless Collation of Central New York. 

Onondaga County’s population has risen by almost 10,000 residents since 2022, yet in 2025, the poverty rate has remained the same, at 13.9%. Nearly 63,0000 individuals are living below the poverty line and despite available shelter space in the city of Syracuse, residents say many still live on the street. Residents said they would like to see expanded shelter space for both individuals and families to keep people off the streets and living in a safer situation.

Taxes

Town of Manlius residents said high taxes pushed them to vote early. Town Supervisor John Deer, seeking reelection, proposed an 18% tax increase for 2026. His opponent Danny Liedk, however, claims that this proposal would result in a 50% tax increase over the course of three years.

Onondaga County Legislature recently voted to adopt a proposed $1.6 billion budget for 2026, which includes an 11% property tax cut. Yet, depending on residency, town taxes could cause higher property taxes for residents. The cost of living remains a top concern for all Onondaga County residents, influencing their votes toward candidates promising lower taxes in their area due to market property values. The cost of living remains a top concern for all Onondaga county residents, influencing their votes toward candidates promising lower taxes in their area.

There are concerns about how New York state is going to respond to events happening at the federal level and whether that will create changes for local taxpayers, Reeher said. 

A battle with lead contamination

In 2024, elevated lead levels were detected in Syracuse’s tap water. For the past year the city has implemented measures to adjust the water’s chemistry and replace older lead pipes. Syracuse residents, however, continue to express health concerns. 

“There has been controversy in the last year and concerns about how well the city is both monitoring and measuring the problem and what they’re doing to engage it,” said Reeher. 

“There is still so much lead,” said Kathy Bunting, a Syracuse resident that participated in early voting.

Bunting, like many residents, is not confident that the problem is being correctly handled. 

Lead contamination is particularly dangerous to children, because their bodies are more sensitive to its effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. City residents want a guarantee from their elected officials that long-term water safety for future generations is a priority.  

Public safety and gun violence

Gun violence has been a longtime concern for the residents in the city of Syracuse.

“People dying from homicides through guns is [a] constant concern,” said Reeher. “Crime and safety have been big issues for the city for a long time.” 

For the first half of 2025, when compared to the five-year average, shots fired incidents were down 22%, shootings with injury incidents were down 3% and incidents of shootings with victims injured or killed were down 4%. Victims injured or killed are down 4%, %, according to data from the Syracuse Police Department. 

“Our patrol officers and their commanders are motivated, engaged and proactive and always on the lookout for strategies that prevent crime,” said Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile said in a statement in August. 

Additionally, Cecile credited Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, his office staff and the Syracuse community for the reduction in gun violence. Despite this reduction, the issue still remains top of mind for early voters hoping for a continued decline. 

Early voters voiced their desires to trust those in office and Reeher echoed this sentiment. 

“There’s a deep lack of trust [in] a lot of things related to politics and the government,” he said.

But this desire can reflect good news, Reeher said, meaning that residents are more likely to come out and cast their ballots for those they think will successfully fulfill their needs for Onondaga County.