Democrats were swept into local offices last year across Onondaga County in unprecedented numbers. They have a majority in the legislature for the first time in nearly 50 years. The party also gained seats or majorities on several town boards normally dominated by Republicans. All of them are up for grabs again this year due to a new state law moving most local elections to even years. But how is party leadership is strategizing to keep those seats or win them back?
“There's a lot of enthusiasm on our side of Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning voters,” said Josh Ludden, the new chair of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee. “Of course, there's a lot of factors at play, right? You cannot understate how frustrated people are with the president. And then again, that's including independents that voted for him and even Republicans that voted for him that are really frustrated.”
Enrollment numbers from the board of elections would certainly seem to favor Democrats, who make up 37 percent of registered voters. That compares to just over 26 percent for Republicans. But the biggest unknown are the more than 30 percent of independent or unaffiliated voters. Onondaga County Republican Committee Chair Joe Bick said they try to convince those voters with facts.
“Facts about fiscal stewardship [in town and county government], facts about horrific over-regulation [on the state level]," he said. "Argue policy stances, argue people's records, and not ridiculous things like 'if you're a Democrat, you're a Democratic Socialist, or if you're a Republican, you're a MAGA zealot' or something like that.”
The next challenge, he said, is getting voters to the polls.
“We know that our turnout was the thing that was our undoing last year," Bick said. "So we take steps to maximize our turnout this year. Phone calls, door to door, text, emails, the whole gamut of everything to remind them that we need you to go and vote.”
Turnout is also key for Democrats who are casting ballots in higher numbers during early voting, according to data from the board of elections. Josh Ludden is optimistic they can build on last year’s historic blue wave.
“I'm excited," he said. "I think that every single seat that we have is in play because of the work that we're doing, because of the national environment, and because of the frustration that voters have and the delivery that they're seeing from Democrats that they're not seeing from Republicans.”
The cost of living is a constant theme from voters, but naturally both parties see different causes and solutions. Ludden said democrats try to emphasize what can be done on the county level to offset rising costs caused by federal policy.
“Well, I can't snap my fingers and change your utility bill," he said. "But what I can do is work with the county to get some different programs that can bring your housing costs down or create more social programs that you don't have to worry about as much childcare. Then you can put more money to your utility bill that's unfortunately rising.”
This first even year local election has forced both parties and their candidates to change their approach. GOP committee chair Joe Bick said the old formula for managing local elections in odd years no longer works when there’s a congressional race and state legislature seats on the same ballot.
“So if I'm running for supervisor in the town of Clay or my team is going to thousands of houses, we make sure that they get all the information for all the candidates up and down the ticket, as opposed to previous years where one candidate would go with their one palm card and then another Republican candidate would go to the same house," he said.
Bick added that finding those efficiencies by coordinating campaigns, and he believes rowing in the same direction, can lead to success at the polls. Early voting continues through Sunday.
