Voters in seven Onondaga County districts have only their incumbents to choose from in the Nov. 5 election.
That lack of challengers is unfortunate for democracy, says Grant Reeher, a political scientist at Syracuse University. “Having many uncontested elections obviously robs voters of some important political choices,” Reeher said in an email interview. “And one-party dominance, extending over many different seats and for an extended period of time, has never been good for a healthy democracy.”
The county legislature is the chief policy-making body for Onondaga. Its main responsibilities are to set the county budget and enact laws.
Onondaga County legislators are elected for two-year terms. County legislators make $25,591 annually.
Here’s a brief look at the county districts with unopposed candidates:
District 1 (northwestern county)
Brian May, 48, R-Baldwinsville, has been a county legislator since the 2011 election. He also ran uncontested in his last race.
Without opposition, the district’s election has no polarizing issue, May said. “If you’re true to promises during your campaign, the campaign becomes not easy, but a little more straight forward,” said May.
He is on the committees for public safety and ways and means. He also serves on several community boards, including Syracuse Tech Garden, Lysander Public Safety Coalition and the Friends of Beaver Lake Nature Center.
He cites the county budget as his biggest job. “In my mind, there is nothing more important than to create the county budget every single year,” said May. “Behind that budget are all of the policies and priorities that we as leaders of county government have, and how we do things.”
District 1 is in the northwestern part of Onondaga County, including all of Lysander, a portion of Baldwinsville and the southwestern portion of Clay.
Of the district’s 17,420 voters, 28 percent — or 5,011 — are Democrats; 39 percent — or 6,835– are Republican; and 24 – or 4,268 — are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 2 (north-central county)
John Dougherty, 39, R-Liverpool, served his first term in 2009. In 2011, he ran 
uncontested.
No single issue got him into local politics, he said. Politics, he added, “was always a hobby.”
Dougherty attended SUNY Buffalo. He has a master’s degree in electrical engineering and an M.B.A from Syracuse University. In 1996, he landed his first job — a systems engineer — with Lockheed Martin, where he worked for five years. Today he is a principal systems engineer at Syracuse Research Corporation.
Running uncontested means less of a sales pitch, he said. “It’s a whole different campaign, no longer a competition,” he said, “more like an exercise with going out to neighborhoods and introducing yourself.”
District 2 is home to a diverse area that includes rural, suburban, and commercial land, he said. No major issue dominates for his constituents. The rural parts want to remain rural and desire quiet neighborhoods, Dougherty said. “Rural concerns are recreational and neighborhood safety,” he said. “I get complaints about speeding.” His most important job, he said, is “listening and finding out what the concern is.”
District 2 is in the north central part of Onondaga County, including most of the western half of Clay, bounded on the east by Henry Clay Boulevard and on the west by Lysander.
Of the district’s 16,935 voters, 33 percent — or 5,660 — are Democrats; 32 percent — or 5,546 — are Republican; 26 percent – or 4,282 – are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 6 (southwestern county)
Michael Plochocki, 41, R-Marcellus, was born in Syracuse and grew up in Marcellus.
He graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in government. He attended law school at the University of Buffalo. From 2006 until 2010, Plochocki was the mayor of Marcellus. He is ending his first term as county legislator.
Running uncontested has more of a relaxed feel, he said. “I don’t feel the pressure to go out campaigning every single day like I did two years ago,” he said.
County legislators are in the budget process right now, he said. “The main thing that concerns voters in Marcellus are taxes,” Plochocki said. “I made a pledge two years ago I would not vote for any property tax increase.”
District 6 is in the southwestern part of Onondaga County, including Marcellus, Skaneateles, Spafford, Otisco and a small southern portion of Camillus.
Of the district’s 19,751 voters, 26 percent — or 5,296 voters — are Democrats; 40 percent — or 8,038 voters — are Republican; 24 percent –or 4,838 voters – are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 10 (eastern county)
Kevin Holmquist, 47, R-East Syracuse, was elected to the county legislature in 2005. This will be his fifth term.
From 2001 until 2005, he was a member of the Manlius town board. He became the 
Manlius village trustee in 2005.
Holmquist grew up in Syracuse, and attended Syracuse University where he studied political science. Ronald Reagan got him into politics, he said.
One major concern for Holmquist is the county budget. “For the county point of view, the biggest challenge that continues to happen is financial: the county budget,” he said.
District 10 is on the eastern side of Onondaga County and includes most of Manlius, Minoa and all of Fayetteville.
Of the district’s 19,772 voters, 31 percent — or 6,249 voters — are Democrat; 35 percent — or 7,065 voters — are Republican; 25 percent – or 5,063 — are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 12 (southeastern county)
Dave Knapp, 51, R-LaFayette, is finishing up his first term as a county legislator.
He grew up in LaFayette and graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1984. He served in the military for five years. From 1999 until 2010, he served on the LaFayette Town Board.
His father got him interested in politics, Knapp said. “My family has been here for a long time, since 1804. And we’ve always been really involved. My father was on the LaFayette town board and judge for 42 years,” he said.
District 12 is in the southeastern part of Onondaga County, including Pompey, Tully, LaFayette, Fabius, a small southern portion of DeWitt, Manlius and a small southeastern portion of the city of Syracuse.
Of the district’s 17,643 voters, 29 percent — or 5,122 voters — are Democrats; 37 percent — or 6,699 voters — are Republican; 25 percent – or 4,484 – are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 13 (western county)
Derek Shepard, 39, R-Syracuse, is concluding his first term as a county legislator. He grew up in Baldwinsville. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with a dual major in psychology and political science. He also received his law degree from SU in 2012.
Before becoming a legislator, he worked as an executive director of the Parkrose Estates 
Retirement Community in Liverpool. He has also been an attorney, he said.
He calls for the government to leave more things to private business. For example, he said, “Look at some of the things businesses in the county are engaged in, like the baseball stadium.” He added, “We want to privatize most of the time.”
District 13 is in the western part of Onondaga County, including Elbridge, Van Buren and most of Camillus.
Of the district’s 17,987 voters, 28 percent — or 5,164 voters — are Democrats; 37 percent — or 6,694 voters — are Republican; 25 percent – or 4,530 voters – are unaffiliated with a political party.
District 14 (north central)
Casey Jordan, 52, R-Clay, is finishing his third term as county legislator.
He grew up in Liverpool, and he graduated from Vassar College in 1984 with a degree in economics. He attended law school at Hofstra University and graduated in 1987.
Politics have always been an interest of his, Jordan said. “I wanted to be a part of it, and try to accomplish things on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
His goal is to limit the government, he said. “I think the government has morphed into more than what our founding fathers intended,” Jordan said.
Running uncontested isn’t all about go door-to-door like contested campaigning, he said. He added, “It affords me the opportunity to spend more time talking to people.”
District 14 is in the north central part of Onondaga County, including the eastern portion of Clay, bounded on the west by Henry Clay Boulevard, and includes most of North Syracuse.
Of the district’s 16,792 voters, 32 percent — or 5,400 voters — are Democrats; 32 percent- or 5,509 voters — are Republican; 26 percent – or 4,513 voters – are unaffiliated with a political party.
(Alana Heller is a junior majoring in broadcast and digital journalism and minoring in marketing.)
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