UPDATED: Nov. 9, 2017 at 11:31 a.m.

Some Syracuse Common Councilors said they’re looking forward to working with Ben Walsh, the city’s incoming mayor who clinched a highly contested election late Tuesday night.

Walsh, 38, is an independent who, despite running without the backing of a major political party, amassed the support of prominent Democrats, GOP members and business owners. Walsh formed relationships across the political spectrum while working at City Hall as deputy commissioner of the department of neighborhood and business development.

Councilor Joseph Carni, a Republican who was re-elected to his District 1 seat Tuesday after narrowly defeating Democratic challenger Andrea Wandersee, said he’s looking forward to Walsh’s bipartisan approach to politics.

“Ben, winning in such a convincing fashion, it says a lot about Syracuse and a willingness to just look at the candidate rather than political affiliation,” Carni said. “From a numbers standpoint, guys like Ben and I probably shouldn’t be elected because the enrollment is so far against us.”

Josh Shub-Seltzer | Staff Photographer

Walsh’s victory opens the door to future unaffiliated candidates and non-Democrats entering elections in Syracuse, he said. Carni is the only Republican Common Councilor.

In his victory speech Tuesday night, Walsh said his administration was undertaking a “grand experiment” to set aside politics and develop policies that will benefit city residents.

Susan Boyle, a Democratic Common Councilor representing District 3, said city issues including poverty, violence and code enforcement are bipartisan problems that all councilors tackle together, regardless of party affiliation. Boyle said she thinks Walsh will receive support from all councilors for his initiatives.

The councilor said she was “thrilled” by Walsh’s victory.

“I know a lot of people in City Hall are really excited that he won,” Boyle said, adding that she thinks Walsh will have a smooth transition into office.

Outgoing Mayor Stephanie Miner congratulated Walsh in a statement Wednesday on his win and offered her administration’s assistance in his upcoming transition.

The Democratic mayor stayed silent for most of the election, but after September’s primary said in a statement she would support Perez Williams’ mayoral bid.

Christopher Faricy, an associate professor of political science at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said he thinks Walsh’s personal reputation will allow the mayor-elect to bridge political divides.

He added, though, that the son of former congressman James Walsh could face some challenges.

“I think people will give him a honeymoon period and give him the benefit of the doubt, but, you know, partisanship is strong. It’s an identity you can share with people on the Common Council,” Faricy said. “If for some reason things go south, history shows us … when independents win high office and are working with partisan legislators, that lack of group identity sometimes can be an obstacle.”

Josh Shub-Seltzer | Staff Photographer

Of the roughly 143,400 people who live in the city, only about 24,000 voted Tuesday. That number is higher than the turnout in Syracuse’s 2013 election, though. About 17,000 people voted in 2013, Onondaga County Board of Elections data shows, including roughly 1,100 voided or blank ballots.

In 2009, about 24,000 residents voted, including about 600 voided or blank ballots. While this year’s turnout was better than previous elections, it still wasn’t great, Carni said.

Boyle said she was disappointed in voter turnout on Tuesday. Only about one-sixth of eligible voters cast ballots, records show.

Grant Reeher, a Maxwell professor of political science, said in an email that this year’s turnout is comparatively low to elections previous to 2009.

“I’m a bit mystified by that,” Reeher said. “It may be demographics: Poorer people turnout less, and in recent decades the city has become poorer, with more concentrated poverty. That might be a factor.”

 

How residents voted

In the Strathmore neighborhood, where both Walsh and Perez Williams live, the independent carried most of the 11th, 12th and 13th wards. He won a high concentration of votes in the Eastwood, Sedgwick, Tipperary Hill and South Valley neighborhoods.

Walsh also carried the 19th ward, which contains Syracuse University’s South Campus, and the 17th ward, which contains portions of the University Hill neighborhood where some students and professors live.

Perez Williams, though, won the 16th ward, which contains most of Main Campus and parts of the University Hill neighborhood near Ostrom Avenue. According to the Board of Elections, 630 people voted in the 16th ward. It is unclear how many of those voters were students.

Of those voters, 290 cast ballots for Perez Williams and 278 for Walsh.

In the 19th ward, which contains almost all of South Campus and stretches west into the Interstate 81 corridor and South Side neighborhoods, Perez Williams garnered 701 votes to Walsh’s 649. Walsh won the portion of the ward containing university property.

This post has been updated with appropriate style.

Published on November 9, 2017 at 12:23 am

Contact Sam: sfogozal@syr.edu | @SamOgozalek