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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t complain about anything if we haven\u2019t had a say in doing anything about it,\u201d Syracuse resident Debbie Fitzroy said after casting her ballot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
About 20% more residents<\/a> came out for early voting in Onondaga County this year than in the last off-year elections in 2023.\u00a0Grant Reeher,\u00a0senior 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s simply the heightened political or the heightened intensity of all the political issues in the country right now, in addition to in\u00a0the state,\u201d Reeher said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The intensity will hopefully bring more people into the system and make them more attentive, Reeher said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Many early voters voiced that it seemed more important than ever to fulfill their civic duty by voting.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPeople have become so desensitized,\u201d Fitzroy said. \u201cThey don\u2019t read; they don\u2019t care. They don\u2019t believe they can change anything.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Job security<\/p>\n 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\u00a0expected to bring over 50,000 jobs.<\/a><\/p>\n The economy\u2019s 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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Homelessness and poverty concerns<\/p>\n Syracuse residents mentioned the city\u2019s 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\u2019s Office.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Central New York, family homelessness now surpasses individual homelessness.<\/p>\n In Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga counties, homelessness increased 60% between 2019 and 2024 \u2014 and is steadily increasing in 2025, according to the\u00a0Housing & Homeless Collation of Central New York.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Onondaga County\u2019s population has risen by almost 10,000 residents since 2022,\u00a0yet in 2025, the poverty rate has remained the same, at 13.9%<\/a>. Nearly\u00a063,0000 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.\u00a0 Taxes<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0His opponent Danny Liedk, however, claims\u00a0that this proposal would result in a 50% tax increase over the course of three years.<\/p>\n Onondaga County Legislature recently voted<\/a> to adopt a proposed $1.6 billion budget for 2026, which includes an 11% property tax cut.\u00a0Yet, depending on residency,\u00a0town 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\u00a0due to market property values.\u00a0The cost of living remains a top concern for all Onondaga county residents, influencing their votes toward candidates promising lower taxes in their area.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n A battle with lead contamination<\/p>\n In 2024,\u00a0elevated lead levels were detected in Syracuse\u2019s tap water<\/a>.\u00a0For the past year the city has implemented measures to adjust the water\u2019s chemistry and replace older lead pipes.\u00a0Syracuse residents, however, continue to express<\/a> health concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere 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,\u201d said Reeher.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere is still so much lead,\u201d said Kathy Bunting, a Syracuse resident that participated in early voting.<\/p>\n Bunting, like many residents, is not confident that the problem is being correctly handled.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lead contamination is particularly dangerous to children, because their bodies are more sensitive to its effects, according to the\u00a0U.S. Environmental Protection Agency<\/a>. City residents want a guarantee from their elected officials that long-term water safety for future generations is a priority.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Public safety and gun violence<\/p>\n Gun\u00a0violence has been a longtime concern for the residents in the city of Syracuse.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople dying from homicides through\u00a0guns is [a] constant concern,\u201d said Reeher. \u201cCrime and safety have been big issues for the city for a long time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n For the first half of 2025,\u00a0when 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%.\u00a0Victims injured or killed are down 4%, %, according to data from the Syracuse Police Department.\u00a0<\/p>\n