On Nov. 20, Tom Miller won his bid for election with 95,236 votes, according to unofficial results from the Onondaga County Board of Elections.
In a tight finish, Republican Tom Miller was leading in the race for Onondaga County Court judge.
As of 11: 08 p.m. Tuesday, with 423 of 427 precincts vote counted, Miller had 51 percent of 87,971 votes, according to unofficial results of the Onondaga County Board of Elections. Democratic candidate Gordon Cuffy, the county’s attorney, had 49.1 percent or 84,800.
Tom Miller and fellow Republicans celebrate his lead for county judge.Janine Mack
Miller, 58, is a justice in the village of Fayetteville. Onondaga County judges serve 10-year terms and earn $147,100 a year. County court judges handle civil suits, all lawsuits under $15,000 or less, misdemeanor cases such as DUI, fraudulent checks and domestic violence cases and people on their way to jail in “first appearance court”.
At the polls on Tuesday, voters did not want to share their individual vote.
At North Central Assembly of God, Dan Williams, 41, and the church’s pastor, voted at Fairmount Community Church this morning at 7a.m. before helping out. “People who support a particular position, a certain belief and a conviction” should vote, he said.
At Redeemer Evangelical Covenant Church, Joan smith, 65, and retired from Real Estate, voted every election since the 1970’s. “I know it’s important to vote and with the Internet, it’s so much smaller and everything,” Smith said.
From mid-April to late October, Miller’s campaign raised $99,934— almost double that of his opponent Cuffy, with only $48,316, says the New York State Board of Elections.
At the G.O.P. Election Night gathering, Young Republican chair John Jensen explained why Republicans are optimistic about Tom Miller. “Yes, Tom Miller is a Republican. He is the Republican Party candidate, but I think he’s really demonstrated that he will be everyone’s judge,” said Jensen.
Miller said all the support has been overwhelming. “I look forward to serving the county on the county court bench,” said Miller.
(Janine Mack is graduate student majoring in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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