Video Transcript: Syracuse’s election cycle is heating up with mayoral town hall
Nathaniel Cunningham: The first and only public town hall of syracuse’s mayoral cycle happens today. According to republican party board of elections commisioner kevin ryan, events like the town hall help bring people to the polls
Kevin Ryan: It’s very important because we always strive to have an informed electorate. And if one wants to cast a vote, you should do as much research as you can into the candidates, their backgrounds and what they stand for”
Cunningham: But it’s not just major elections like mayor of syracuse that matter. According to democratic party board of elections commisioner dustin czarny, voting matters in your town as well.
Dustin Czarny: Local leaders are the ones that are going to affect your everyday life and on a more frequent basis.
Cunningham: Luckily if you haven’t had the chance to register, Saturday Oct. 25 might just be your golden ticket.
Czarny: All of these important deadlines are coming on one day. That’s why we call it golden day. And it’s easier than ever to accomplish all of these goals. You can go online to onvote.net and register online, request a balot online and you can find out where your early voting locations are and decide to go early voting.
Cunningham: But that early voting isn’t something commissioner Ryan is a big fan of.
Ryan: The law requires us to have early voting. So we have early voting. And people have the oppurtunity to come out in early vote if they choose to do so. But for me, I only care they vote. If they want to vote early that’s up to them.
Despite that disagreement though, both Czarny and Ryan agree that every vote matters.
Czarny: Every election matters.
Ryan: Every election matters.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Syracuse University’s student media organization, Citrus TV, is hosting the first and only public town hall of the 2025 Syracuse mayoral cycle. People from the Syracuse community can come to the town hall in the K.G. Tan Auditorium on the University’s campus to ask questions to the four running candidates.
- Current Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens (Democrat)
- Senior Attorney Thomas Babilon (Republican)
- Financial Planner Alfonso Davis (Independent)
- Former Syracuse Budget Director Tim Rudd (Independent)
“It’s very important because we always strive to have an informed electorate,” said Republican Party Commissioner Kevin Ryan about the value of the town hall. “And if one wants to cast a vote, you should do as much research as you can into the candidates, their backgrounds and what they stand for.”
It’s not just major elections like mayor of Syracuse that are happening throughout the county. According to onondoga.gov, 68 different elections are taking place throughout the area. That sets up a way for you to impact your local government.
“Local leaders are the ones that are going to affect your everyday life and on a more frequent basis,” said Democratic Party Commissioner Dustin Czarny.
But if you didn’t get a chance to catch the Town Hall or if you haven’t had a chance to register yet, Saturday, Oct. 25 might just be your golden ticket.
“All of these important deadlines are coming on one day,” Czarny said. “That’s why we call it ‘golden day’. And it’s easier than ever to accomplish all of these goals. You can go online to onvote.net and register online, request a ballot online. And you can find out where your early voting locations are and decide to go early voting.”
There are three early voting locations within the city of Syracuse and 10 different locations throughout Onondaga County. 11,000 people utilized early voting last year on just the first day. However, Commissioner Ryan says he isnt a fan of early voting and only goes with it because “the law requires us to have early voting.”
Despite the disagreement between Ryan and Czarny they both shared the idea that “every election matters.” Election day is now just two weeks away.