The Onondaga County Legislature will vote Tuesday on whether to allocate $100,000 to sue New York State over a law that will move county elections statewide to even years.
Republicans in the county legislature and County Executive Ryan McMahon contend the law violates Onondaga County’s charter, which they say would require a referendum to make such a change.
County legislature chairman Tim Burtis, a Republican representing Cicero, said McMahon wants to be the “tip of the spear” on the lawsuit. No other counties have so far committed to sue the state. He called the $100,000 “a starting amount.”
“Our county executive wants to take the lead on this matter,” Burtis said.
The legislature is made up of 11 Republicans and six Democrats, meaning if legislators vote along party lines the proposal is likely to pass. They will vote at 1 p.m.
Onondaga County elections commissioner Dustin Czarny, a Democrat, said he believes the challenge is likely to fail in court and that the state legislature and governor have the power to move county elections.
“I guess we’re going to burn a lot of county money figuring out who’s right,” Czarny said.
The law at issue, passed by the New York Legislature and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2023, would move most countywide elections to presidential election years. McMahon would serve a full term before the law takes effect.
Some local elections, like those in cities, were exempted from the law signed by Hochul.
County Republicans’ argument appears to be that the county’s charter gives the county home rule and more authority over its elections than other some other counties in the state. Nineteen counties in New York are governed by a charter, including Erie and Monroe counties, which hold Buffalo and Rochester, respectively.
Burtis said he believes a countywide vote would be required to move countywide elections.
While the county is suing the state on the legality of the change, McMahon has publicly railed against the merits of the change. McMahon and Republicans say moving elections to even years will lead to local issues being drowned out.
Those years have a host of other elections, like those for Congressional seats.
Czarny and other Democrats have said moving county elections to even years will improve voter turnout and more election participation.
“Let’s get it challenged and let’s get it figured out,” Burtis said.
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