Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Group Aims To Educate Syracuse Voters About All Races On The Ballot

This is the ballot that Syracuse voters will see if they live in the 1st council district and 9th county legislative district.
onvote.net
This is the ballot that Syracuse voters will see if they live in the 1st council district and 9th county legislative district.

Groups trying to get out the vote in the city of Syracuse are finding many voters aren’t too familiar with races for common council, school board, or county legislature.  They’re trying to engage voters and provide more information.

It’s election season. Early voting is underway. Candidates are knocking on doors, or can be seen on forums and debates. Lawn signs dot the landscape. Ads pop up on social media. Mailers arrive on a regular basis. But Chanel Turnquest with Onondaga Votes says not everyone is engaged. She says they’re trying to reach voters in areas where turnout is low, and where candidates aren’t making connections.

"I've heard people say 'I don't see them, I don't know who's running.' But that could be due to a lot of reasons. 'I'm working two jobs, so maybe they came by and I wasn't home.' A better job needs to be done in terms of getting candidates exposed to the population that is underserved and underrepresented."

Meanwhile, Turnquest says Onondaga Votes is trying to do its part to inform voters.

"We've supplied a flier of the candidates who are running in the district we're working in because people don't know who their candidates are. We try and educate them so they know and look up who the candidates are."

She says most city voters are well aware of the mayoral race, but that seems to overshadow the other equally important races for common council, school board, or county legislature. Early voting continues through Halloween at six locations. Election Day is Tuesday.

Early voting locations:

CAMILLUS TOWN HALL (Gym)
4600 West Genesee St, Syracuse NY 13219

CLAY TOWN HALL COURTROOM (Rear Entrance)
4401 Route 31, Clay NY 13041

DEWITT TOWN HALL COURTROOM
5400 Butternut Dr, E. Syracuse NY 13057

LAFAYETTE FIRE STATION #1 (Rear Entrance)
2444 Route 11 South, LaFayette NY 13084

ARMOND MAGNARELLI COMMUNITY CENTER AT MCCHESNEY PARK
2300 Grant Blvd, Syracuse NY 13208

SYRACUSE COMMUNITY CONNECTION (SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER)
401-425 South Ave, Syracuse NY 13204

Early voting times:

Friday, October 29, 2021: 10:00AM- 6:00PM

Saturday, October 30, 2021: 10:00AM-3:00PM

Sunday, October 31, 2021: 10:00AM- 3:00PM

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.