A win in Tuesday night’s election puts Republican Kevin Walsh on his way to becoming the longest-serving sheriff in Onondaga County history.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Walsh said of the election season after his win. Walsh joined the party in the Grand Ballroom of the Doubletree Hotel Syracuse at 11 p.m. He stood at the podium thanking his supporters with his wife, Joan, and three adult children behind him, His children flew in from Calfornia and Florida to join him on election night.
Walsh wore a plastic gold pin with blinking red lights that said “Sheriff.” He’s worn it every election night since he first took office as sheriff in 1994. He joked that his wife told him the batteries better die out so he won’t run for re-election four years from now.
This election, Walsh was challenged by two of his deputies: Democrat Joe Price and Working Families candidate Toby Shelley. As of 10:58 p.m., with nearly 100 percent of the vote counted, the official results show Walsh with 68 percent of the vote, Price with 21 percent and Shelley with 9 percent, according to the Onondaga County Board of Elections.
Price defeated Shelley in a primary for the Democratic nomination. But the Democratic party pulled its support from Price after controversy surrounding comments made under his username on Syracuse.com. Under state law, he remained on the ballot as the Democratic candidate and continued to campaign.
Going into the election, the Democrats had the advantage in voter enrollment with 111,450 registered voters to the Republicans 94,701. The Working Families party was far behind with 1,397 registered voters.
But Walsh was far ahead in campaign donations, raising a total of $54,357 by Oct. 22. Shelley had raised about half that, at $26,907. Price trailed behind, raising only $3,285.
As sheriff, Walsh is in charge of about 650 employees and an annual budget of $70,000. The sheriff’s office is responsible for law enforcement and some rescue operations, and runs the county jail. Walsh has been sheriff since 1994. He touts some of his biggest accomplishments as securing the new Air-One helicopter and opening the Justice Center jail. He decided to run for a fifth term to continue implementing new technology and improving services to the county.
At the polls on Tuesday, Greg Archambeau, 58, came out to cast his ballot at West Genesee Senior High School for Walsh. With four terms in office under his belt, Walsh is the best candidate, Archambeau said.
“I think he’s just got the most experience, and the best experience,” Archambeau said.
Some voters, like Robert Venner, 68, crossed party lines to vote for Walsh. Venner is a registered Democrat and voted for Walsh Tuesday at the West Genesee Senior High School polling place. The way Walsh has done his job is more important to Venner than his party identification.
“He’s done a very good job for quite a while now,” Venner said.
The Republican’s party held an air of confidence and excitement, as party chair Tom Dadey continually announced Republican wins beginning around 9:45 p.m. Guests mingled and chattered loudly as they awaited the results, sipping on beer and glasses of wine. Dadey’s continued victory announcements were met with cheers and fist pumps among the crowd.
For his part, Walsh thanked his supporters and the other members of the sheriff’s office.
Of his re-election, Walsh said, “It wouldn’t have happened without the great men and women of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s office.”
(Kathleen Ronayne is a junior majoring in newspaper journalism.)
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