Onondaga Votes

  The 2020 Primary in New York this year fell in the midst of a global pandemic and a reckoning on police brutality in America. Voting by mail occurred in record numbers due to the threat of COVID-19 and youth in Syracuse led rallies for the current racial justice movement.

Central New Yorkers faces an election in November with dozens of local offices on the ballot for positions that decide things such as tax rates, education policy, and district lines. But voter turnout in elections with primarily local races has been historically low. In light of this, community groups and political researchers are asking what will get people engaged?

With midterm elections less than two months away, local organizations are trying to get those in Syracuse who typically don’t vote to cast a ballot. September 25th is National Voter Registration day, and grassroots initiatives in Syracuse are leading efforts to increase voter turnout with the support of the Gifford Foundation.