Democratic challenger Carol Sinesi has lost in the race for District 4 Onondaga Legislature seat to incumbent Judy Tassone, R-Liverpool, by 795 votes.
“When I saw the numbers I was shocked and surprised,” said Sinesi.
As of 11:22 p.m., Sinesi had 40 percent or 1,678 votes compared to Tassone’s 60 percent or 2,473 votes. That was with 100 percent of the vote in the unofficial count from District 4.
District 4 includes the town of Liverpool, Onondaga Lake, Geddes, and a sliver of Northside Syracuse. Voter enrollment is close between the two major parties. Of the district’s 15,625 registered voters, 34 percent are Democrats; 31 percent are Republican and 26 percent are unaffiliated with a party.
In fundraising, between Jan. 1 and Oct. 25, Sinesi had raised $7,618, according to reports one the New York State Board of Elections website.
This was Sinesi’s first run for office. Sinesi is the vice-chair of the Salina Democratic Committee. She has a master’s degree in social work from Syracuse University.
At the polling station in Liverpool’s village hall, Sinesi dropped by to deliver crackers and snacks to the election workers. Some voters at the village hall were enthusiastic about a possible change in the makeup of the county legislature.
“I think we need a lot more balance on the county legislature,” said Marguerite Town, a resident of Liverpool. “I think it’s a little too unbalanced.” Of the legislature’s 17 seats, 14 are held by Republicans.
Others echoed a desire for change. Sherry Whipple of Liverpool praised Sinesi’s energy. “I had the opportunity to speak to her a few weeks ago and I think she’s young and has new ideas and I think that’s always good,” Whipple said. “Change is sometimes a good thing”
For Election Night, Sinesi joined fellow Democrats at the party’s gathering at the Pensabene Casa Grande on State Fair Boulevard. She intends to run again, she said, and that she will run a better campaign.
“I think we did what we knew to do,” Sinesi said. “And we are going to examine that over the next few days and few weeks trying to determine what we can do differently in the future.”
(Ariel Levin-Waldman is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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