The SAVE America Act would require potential voters to in-person present a birth certificate or passport to register to vote. Credit: Mike Greenlar | Central Current

The candidates for November’s general election are set. Early voting starts Oct. 28 and Election Day is Nov. 7.

This year’s focus will be on county races. There are five contested races for the county legislature and nearly all of the major countywide seats — county executive, district attorney, county clerk and county comptroller — are up for grabs.

Meanwhile, city council incumbents Chol Majok and Rita Paniagua are vying with Raquan Pride-Green for two spots on the Syracuse Common Council.

Elections 2023: Q&A with Syracuse Common Council, Onondaga County Legislature candidates

In the council’s fourth district, Hasahn Bloodworth, who created his own political party, faces Patrona Jones-Rowser, who won the Democratic primary. Bloodworth or Jones-Rowser will replace Democrat Latoya Allen, who did not run for re-election.

If you are looking for town or village candidates, you can click this link to go to the Onondaga County Board of Elections website. The Board of Elections maintains an up-to-date list of candidates under “candidate information.”

Each candidate who will be on the ballot in November is listed with their party endorsements and affiliations below. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

New York State

State Supreme Court Justice, 5th Judicial District (two seats open)

  • Bob Cohen, Working Families Party
  • Peter M. Rayhill, Republican, Conservative
  • Jean Marie Westlake, Republican, Conservative

Proposals

  • Removal of small city school districts from special constitutional debt limitation
  • Extending sewage project debt exclusion from debt limit

Onondaga County

County Executive

  • Bill Kinne (Democrat)
  • Ryan McMahon (Republican, Conservative)

District Attorney

  • William J. Fitzpatrick (Republican, People First Party)
  • Chuck Keller (Democrat)
  • Christine A. Varga (Conservative)

County Comptroller

  • Casey E. Jordan (Republican, People First Party)
  • Marty Masterpole (Democrat)

County Clerk

  • Lisa Dell (Republican, Conservative)
  • Emily Essi (Democrat)

Family Court (two seats open)

  • Douglas M. DeMarche, Jr. (Republican, Conservative)
  • Diane Darwish Plumley (Democrat)
  • Lourdes P. Rosario (Republican, Conservative)
  • Joe Zavaglia (Democrat)

Legislature, 1st District, uncontested

  • Brian F. May (Republican)

Legislature, 2nd District, uncontested

  • Kevin J. Meaker (Republican, Conservative)

Legislature, 3rd District, uncontested

  • Timothy T. Burtis (Republican, Conservative)

Legislature, 4th District, uncontested

  • Colleen A. Gunnip (Republican)

Legislature, 5th District, uncontested

  • Debra J. Cody (Republican)

Legislature, 6th District

Legislature, 7th District

Legislature, 8th District, uncontested

  • Christopher J. Ryan (Democrat, Working Families Party)

Legislature, 9th District, uncontested

  • Palmer L. Harvey (Democrat, Working Families Party)

Legislature, 10th District

Legislature, 11th District, uncontested

  • Richard McCarron, Jr. (Republican, Conservative)

Legislature, 12th District

  • Sunny Aslam (Democrat)
  • David H. Knapp (Republican)

Legislature, 13th District, uncontested

  • Kenneth L. Bush Jr. (Republican, Conservative)

Legislature, 14th District, uncontested

  • Cody M. Kelly (Republican, Conservative)

Legislature, 15th District

Legislature, 16th District

  • Charles E. Garland (Democrat)

Legislature, 17th District

  • Nodesia R. Hernandez (Democrat, Working Families Party)

City of Syracuse

City Court Judge

  • Mary Anne Doherty (Democrat, Working Families Party)

City Auditor

  • Alexander Marion (Democrat, Working Families Party)

Councilor-at-Large (two seats open)

Commissioner of Education

  • Tamica Barnett (Democrat, Working Families Party)
  • Mary E. Habib (Democrat)
  • Ian L. Hunter (People First Party)
  • Magnolia Mumm (People First Party)
  • Gwendolyn H. Raeford (Democrat)
  • Ranette L. Releford (Democrat, Working Families Party)

1st District Councilor

  • Marty Nave (Democrat)

2nd District Councilor

  • Patrick J. Hogan (Democrat)

3rd District Councilor

  • Woodruff L. Carroll (Republican, People First Party)
  • Corey J. Williams (Democrat)

4th District Councilor

5th District Councilor

Proposition 1

  • Proposition 1 is to amend two portions of the city charter, sections 5-503 and 5-505, that more explicitly describe the city auditor’s powers and empower the city auditor to hire legal counsel. To read more, click here and scroll to page six.

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Chris Libonati is the managing editor of Central Current. He is a founding editorial member of the organization and was hired as Central Current's first reporter. He previously worked at the Syracuse Post-Standard...