Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Over 30 community members gathered Saturday afternoon for Alliance Network’s town hall meeting to discuss Onondaga County’s low voter turnout in the 2024 presidential election. Panelists presented recent voting statistics and methods for driving up civic participation.

The panelists advocated for higher voter engagement, in both local and national elections, following a 6% drop in voter turnout in the city of Syracuse this past fall. Speakers also advised attendees on ways to stay politically engaged throughout President Donald Trump’s current term — by campaigning for local politicians, attending events and educating their local community.

Walt Dixie, one of the panelists and the founder of the Alliance Network, said it’s even more important for people living in cities like Syracuse, which he said relies heavily on government services like food stamps, to exercise their rights to vote.

“We’re in uncharted waters, right? Democracy is definitely under assault… we should all be alarmed and worried,” Dixie said. “The Trump administration is allowing us to wake up… if we continue to not wake up, you think it’s bad right now? I can’t imagine the end of the year where we’re going to be.”

The other panelists included Dustin Czarny, the Onondaga County Board of Elections commissioner and Sharon Owens, the deputy mayor of Syracuse. Czarny said that while Onondaga County had a voter turnout of 73% in the 2024 presidential election, the city of Syracuse only had a turnout of 58%. The city’s 10th Ward had a turnout of just 33.7%, he said.

With these statistics in mind, Czarny said New York residents should take advantage of state programs to make voting easier and more accessible in future elections, including by voting by mail and at early voting sites. He also encouraged community members to get involved in the election process more personally, like by serving as polling inspectors.

“You’re doing the work of making sure that the election is protected. And that is vitally important, important and needed. Inspectors are our eyes and ears at the polling place,” Czarny said.

Owens, who recently announced her mayoral campaign, said just over 7,000 people in the city of Syracuse voted in last year’s primaries. This made up only 18% of eligible Democrats in the Democratic primary, she said. She focused on the importance of participating in local government and educating people on the influence local politics have on everyday lives.

Ike Wood | Staff Photographer

Sharon Owens, the deputy mayor of Syracuse, was one of the event’s panelists.

She said the political process doesn’t begin with who’s elected to the White House, but instead with who’s elected to positions like the local school board, county legislature, mayoral office and district attorney’s office. Owens also emphasized the importance of understanding the specific powers that each elected official holds. For example, the mayor’s office is a separate entity from the sheriff’s or the school board chair’s, she said.

“There are multiple of us running to be mayor. Find out about each one of our platforms. Find out about our visions for the city,” Owens said. “And if you are not registered, get registered. Participate in the political process.”

In closing, panelists encouraged audience members to voice their concerns and questions about the local political process. Attendees expressed a desire to have their voices heard within the Syracuse community and by their elected officials.

One attendee spoke out about her worries in bridging the gap between the younger and older generations regarding political activism. She said while it’s easier for people her age to access information on social media, it may be more difficult for people who are not as connected with technology.

Owens said it’s important to stay engaged in other ways if people aren’t active online and help people who can’t attend events themselves. She said, for example, it would be helpful to attend an educational event about how to handle an ICE raid for people who aren’t able to go themselves.

“As we talk about rebranding our community and building our community, it also challenges us to be civilly engaged in this Trump climate and reminds us why it’s important that not only we protect our rights, but we advocate for our needs and our social service needs and support the disenfranchised folks in this community,” Dixie said.

Published on February 2, 2025 at 10:02 pm

Contact Arabella: akklonow@syr.edu