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Some Onondaga County Voters Switch Parties Before Election, Democrats Gain Membership

Nick Robertson
/
WAER

Well before Central New Yorkers went to the polls today, some local voters have been deciding on whether to stay with their party or switch affiliation.  The Republican Elections Commissioner of Onondaga County Michelle Sardo says the number of registered Republican voters has decreased by 1,300 compared to 2016's enrollment numbers.   Sardo is uncertain about the reason behind the decrease.  

"There is no way to track where they went right now, if they changed party to Democrat or just to blank, or any other party."

Meanwhile, the number of registered Democrats in the county has increased by 6,800 when comparing current party enrollment numbers to 2016.

"Democratic voters, there's 112,309, and Republican voters are 82,272," Sardo said.

The Elections Commissioner says Democrats are not the only party that appears to be gaining ground in terms of recent voter applications.

"It's fairing both ways these past few months, I've seen more Democrats and more non-affiliated registering to vote, and Republicans in-between."

Sardo says the increase in voter applications could have been a result of the state’s first ever early voting ahead of this Election Day.  Early voting opened Oct. 26 and wrapped up Sunday at six polling locations throughout Onondaga County.  Polls are open Tuesday until 9 P.M.

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.