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Over 30,000 people throughout Onondaga County voted in Tuesday’s Congressional and State Senate primary elections. Voters in New York’s 22nd Congressional District nominated Republican Brandon Williams and Democrat Francis Conole to their parties.

Ranging from hyper-local issues such as the upcoming removal of I-81 and the subsequent community grid to national debates such as reproductive rights though, voters in Onondaga County differed in their reasonings for their respective candidates.

Kathleen Waters, a voter in Onondaga County, told The D.O. she’s prioritizing education and poverty this cycle. She called childhood poverty within the city an essential issue, with nearly half of children in Syracuse falling under the category.

Onondaga County voter Julia Schooler also said she’s concerned with education. A teacher herself, Schooler said she was worried about the ongoing teacher shortage. Affordable, quality housing should also be a priority, she said.

“The teacher shortage is a real problem,” she said. “I always vote, I think it is very important to participate even if my person is not going to win.”

Syracuse resident Bill Ferraldo said he’s concerned with resources for local issues like housing. He was concerned with the Onondaga County Legislature’s recent 9-8 vote to fund an $85 million aquarium in Syracuse’s inner harbor.

“That $85 million can be put into the communities,” Ferraldo said. “Affordable housing and all kinds of things like that.”

Norman Paul, an Onondaga County voter originally from India, said he’s considering the importance of the upcoming I-81 viaduct project as he chooses candidates in the election. The viaduct – which Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer signed the record of decision for in May – is approved to begin construction in the fall.

“We have to just wait and see how they are going to tackle it,” Paul said. “Of course there are educated people and people who know about all these (projects and issues), and we vote them in.”

Some voters are focusing on issues outside of Onondaga County with national and international implications in this election.

Onondaga County voter Dave Griola said global warming should be a priority. Solving the climate crisis is instrumental in addressing other issues, he continued.

“Without our environment, we can’t work on anything,” Griola said.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, Onondaga County voter Art Rees said women’s rights are one of the most important issues that both individual communities and the nation as a whole need to address and consider while voting.

“This has been happening at the national level, going right down into the state and local levels, where women’s rights that have been so fought for over the years and won and have been slowly taken away,” he said.

Rees also cited polarization as a main concern, saying that individuals voting in this election should prioritize electing officials who aim to work toward compromise and common ground while in office.

“(Voters should care about) the incredible polarization that has been taking place in the nation. We need to get back together with elected officials that are not polarized, either right or left. We need elected officials that are willing to work with one another, to compromise.”

Published on August 24, 2022 at 12:31 am