Republicans will maintain control of the Onondaga County Legislature on Nov. 5, predicts a political scientist.
For Republicans to lose control, said political scientist Kristi Andersen of Syracuse University, “There would have to be a wave of a big anti-Republican feeling that would have to be there to wipe out a whole bunch of Republicans.”
Democrats might pick up a seat, Andersen said, but the party doesn’t have a shot at winning on the aggregate level.
Onondaga County has 17 legislative districts. Only three representatives are Democrats. Because the Republicans control the legislature, they were able to elect J. Ryan McMahon II as chairman in 2011.
All 17 seats will be on the ballot on Nov. 5. Of those, eight races feature Republicans running uncontested. Seven of the eight Republicans are incumbents. Republicans only need to win one of the nine contested races to keep their majority.
Overall, Democrats outnumber Republicans 36 to 30 percent in Onondaga County. The total of registered voters is 103,879 for Democrats to 85,733 Republicans, according to the county Board of Elections. 24 percent are unaffiliated.
But county legislators are elected by districts, which were redrawn in 2011. And with the redistricting, Republicans maintained their district-level superiority in voter-enrollment in most districts. For example, District 1 — held by Brian May, R-Baldwinsville — has 17,420 registered voters. Of them, 39 percent are Republican versus 28 percent Democrat.
Nine legislative districts have more registered Democrats than Republicans. But five of those are held by Republicans, including two Republicans who were appointed to the predominantly Democratic districts by County Executive Joanie Mahoney, also a Republican. In the 2013 election, those two appointees — John Dougherty, R-Liverpool, in District 2; and Bob Andrews, R-Syracuse, in District 9 — face their first encounter with voters. Dougherty is unopposed. Andrews faces Democratic challenger Peggy Chase.
But redistricting is criticized by some who see it as benefiting the majority party, which is in charge of the process.
“I would say it’s a flaw in the system,” County Legislator Monica Williams, D-Syracuse, of District 16 said. “Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, I think that there tends to be a bit more favoritism to whatever side is drawing the lines. I think that if there was an independent agency to look at this, then maybe it would be a bit more equal.”
The Onondaga County Legislature is the top legislative body that enacts county laws, oversees county government and approves the county budget. Members make $25,591. The chairperson collects an annual salary of $46,615. County legislature members serve two-year terms.
This election cycle is unusual because of the lack of choice for many voters. Only nine districts have contested races. In the 2011 election, 11 districts were contested. In 2009, the county had 19 legislative districts and 12 races were contested. Back in the 2007 election, 17 of the 19 races were contested by the major parties.
SU political scientist Andersen expresses concern about the lack of contested races. It’s not good for a democracy, she said, because it doesn’t encourage voters to focus on the issues and participate.
“It is a disadvantage because it allows people to just go back in their shells and not think this is important,” said Andersen. Too often, she said, voters think, “’Well nothing I can do is going to make a difference, so why vote? Why pay any attention?’”
In the 2013 election, the only incumbent not running for re-election is Chester Dudzinski Jr., R-Cicero, of District 3. County Executive Mahoney appointed Dudzinksi as an interim legislator in February. Dudzinski filled the seat vacated by Republican Bill Meyer of Cicero, who was appointed the assistant director for the county’s Veterans Services Agency.
Now, Jim Corl Jr., a Republican from Cicero, is running uncontested for District 3.
Incumbents have several advantages including being able to develop a track record rather than talk about what will happen in hypotheticals. For example, legislator Judy Tassone, R-Liverpool, from District 4, points to lowering tax rates in Onondaga County.
“I think it helps a lot to be able to have a background for constituents to grade off of as opposed to anybody who challenges anyone of us,” Tassone said.
Danny Liedka, R-East Syracuse, from District 7 agreed about incumbents having advantages. “They know the process,” said Liedka. “They know how to run races. They know how to get the message out. They know what it takes to win.”
District 16 legislator and Democrat Monica Williams suggests that incumbents also have the advantage of a track record in helping their districts’ residents. Said Williams, “Constituency service is the number one no matter what district you’re in.”
Here are snapshots of the 17 county district races:
District 1 (northwestern county)
Brian May, R-Baldwinsville, is uncontested. He was first elected in 2011year.
May is a management consulter and served on the Lysander Town Board. In this district, Republicans outnumber Democrats 39 to 28 percent.
District 2 (northern county including parts of Clay and Lysander)
John Dougherty, R-Liverpool, is uncontested. Dougherty has been a county legislator since 2009. He works for SRC Inc., a not-for-profit research and development corporation, as a systems engineer. Democrats outnumber Republicans 33 to 32 percent.
District 3 (northeastern county)
Jim Corl, a Republican from Cicero, is uncontested to succeed Dudzinski, who was appointed. Corl was the town supervisor of Cicero. He will be serving his first term. Republicans outnumber Democrats 34 to 30 percent.
District 4 (central county)
Incumbent Judith Tassone, R-Liverpool, faces Democrat challenger Carol Sinesi, also from Liverpool. Tassone was first elected in 2009. She owns New York Title Co., a consulting company. Sinesi is a social worker. Democrats outnumber Republicans 33 to 31 percent.
District 5 (northeastern county)
Incumbent Kathleen Rapp, R-Liverpool, takes on Democrat challenger Gary Brisson, of North Syracuse. Rapp has been a county legislator since 1997. She is the director mailing and marketing communications for a mail company. Brisson is a service representative for National Grid. Democrats outnumber Republicans 34 to 30 percent.
District 6 (southwestern county)
Michael Plochocki, R-Marcellus, is uncontested. He is completing his first term. Plochocki is a private-practice attorney. Republicans outnumber Democrats 40 to 26 percent.
District 7 (Dewitt, East Syracuse and parts of the city of Syracuse)
Incumbent Danny Liedka, R-East Syracuse, is against Democrat Lorene Dadey, also of East Syracuse. Liedka is a sportscaster and hotel sales manager. He began working at the legislature in 2011. Dadey co-owns Sunshine’s Coffee Shop. The two faced each other in 2011 in a tight race. Democrats outnumber Republicans 40 to 26 percent.
District 8 (central county)
Incumbent Christopher Ryan, D-Syracuse, is challenged by Republican Russ Andrews of Syracuse. Ryan works for Verizon. He is seeking a second term. Andrews is a financial adviser for Northwestern Mutual. Democrats outnumber Republicans 47 to 19 percent.
District 9 (central county including parts of Syracuse)
Robert Andrews, R-Syracuse, is against Democrat Peggy Chase, also of Syracuse. Andrews was appointed on Feb. 21. He works for Madison Cortland ARC. Chase is a registered nurse. Democrats outnumber Republicans 48 to 19 percent.
District 10 (eastern county)
Kevin Holmquist, R-East Syracuse, is uncontested. Holmquist was first elected in 2005. He is a manager for Key Bank and Key Investment. Republicans outnumber Democrats 35 to 31 percent.
District 11 (Nedrow, Onondaga, and Camillus)
Patrick Kilmartin, R-Syracuse, looks to hold off Democratic challenger Maggie Mahoney, of Nedrow. Kilmartin, a three-term legislator, is a private-practice lawyer. Mahoney is a healthcare secretary. Republicans outnumber Democrats 35 to 29 percent.
District 12 (southeastern county)
David Knapp, R-La Fayette, is uncontested. Knapp entered the legislature in 2011. He works as a salesman for a medical supply company. Republicans outnumber Democrats 37 to 29 percent.
District 13 (western county)
Derek Shepard, R-Syracuse, is uncontested. Shepard, a lawyer, has served three terms. Republicans outnumber Democrats 37 to 28 percent.
District 14 (Clay and North Syracuse)
Casey Jordan, R-Clay, is uncontested. Jordan was elected in 2006. He is a partner in the Rose and Jordan law firm. Both major parties have 32 percent but Republicans lead by 91 voters.
District 15 (central county)
Chairman J. Ryan McMahon II, R-Syracuse, faces Syracuse Democrat Ronnie Bell. McMahon is a one-term legislator. He is the vice president The Funding Source. Bell works for the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival and is a retired teacher. Democrats outnumber Republicans 42 to 17 percent.
District 16 (City of Syracuse)
Incumbent Monica Williams, D-Syracuse, is challenged by fellow Syracuse resident Melody Holmes. Williams was elected in 2007. She works for a local health center. Holmes works for Meals on Wheels. Democrats outnumber Republicans 70 to 7 percent.
District 17 (Syracuse and DeWitt)
Democratic floor leader Linda Ervin, of Jamesville, is seeking her third term. She is a retired real estate broker. Woodruff Carroll, of Syracuse, is her Republican opponent. Carroll is an attorney. Democrats outnumber Republicans 56 to 14 percent.
(Sean Farrell is a junior with dual majors in broadcast and digital journalism and political science.)
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