In a steady and historic victory, Democrat Sharon Owens is poised to become the 55th mayor of Syracuse, marking a major milestone as the first Black mayor and only the second woman to lead the city since its founding in 1848.
Owens secured a commanding lead Tuesday night over Republican Thomas Babilon and independents Alfonso Davis and Tim Rudd, according to unofficial results from the Onondaga County Board of Elections. With more than 70% of the vote counted, her margin of victory quickly became insurmountable.
Owens’ victory continues a long career in community service and public leadership that began more than four decades ago. Originally from Geneva, New York, she came to Syracuse University in 1981 to study economics, earning a track scholarship in her second year. A work-study internship at the Dunbar Center introduced her to the city’s South Side neighborhoods – an experience she has often credited as the beginning of her lifelong dedication to Syracuse.
After graduating in 1985, Owens built a career in nonprofit leadership. Her expertise in housing and neighborhood development led to her appointment as Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Development under former Mayor Stephanie Miner.
When Independent Ben Walsh ran for mayor in 2017, Owens supported his campaign and was later appointed Deputy Mayor, a position she has held for the past eight years. In that role, she oversaw critical departments including police, fire, and neighborhood and business development, and helped lead the city’s police reform efforts, gun violence reduction initiatives, and the creation of a city housing strategies agency.
Owens entered the 2025 mayoral race promising to build on Syracuse’s momentum while ensuring that new development projects directly benefit city residents. Her campaign slogan, “Maximize the Moment,” referred to major transformations underway, including the removal of the Interstate 81 viaduct, the redevelopment of the former 15th Ward, and the arrival of Micron’s semiconductor plant in Central New York.
Owens, 62, lives in the city’s Meadowbrook neighborhood with her husband. They have two adult children, both of whom also live in Syracuse.
She begins her first term as the newly elected mayor of Syracuse on January 1, 2026.
