SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)- The voter turnout for this year’s local elections in Onondaga County remains low. Voters at the Reformed Church of Syracuse, polling site called on the need for more participation in the local elections.
Some voters arrived at the site early in the morning. One of them David Mangan, arrived straight from his night shift. Mangan said local elections are a path to building a better community and to bring a positive change. He said he hopes people were as excited about local elections as they are for the presidential elections. He said it all starts at the local level.
“These are the people that have more impact on your lives than anybody else. Every person elected has an impact on your life, but none more significant than your local election,” Mangan said.
Like David, many other voters felt passionately about urging the turnout appeal.
Antoniette Clemente, a Syracuse resident, has been voting for the past 44 years, she said she has never missed a single year. Clemente said in her experience of more than two decades of voting, she feels the voter participation is rather sad.
“I have voted in the morning, I voted in the afternoon because I retired, and I voted in the evening. And it’s always seemed a bit disappointing to me that there’s not enough people here,” she said.
She emphasized the significance of local elections, that they are the means to effect change within one’s local community. Similar to David, she stressed that local elections should carry more weight in people’s mind as they directly contribute to immediate improvements in the community.
Among them, a young voter from Syracuse University also casted his ballot. Alexander Rerrie, a 19-year-old sophomore said young people need to be more active participants in the election process.
“I would say to come out and vote, express your opinion, have an opinion most importantly, and always be a leader, not a follower,” he said.
