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The race for the Democratic nomination for Syracuse's next mayor has been narrowed to three candidates. Alfonso Davis and Jimmy Oliver are at risk of being removed from the June primary ballot due to insufficient valid signatures on their nominating petitions. The Onondaga County Board of Elections has scheduled hearings for Thursday (April 17) to address these challenges. If the objections are upheld, Davis and Oliver will be excluded from the ballot, leaving Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, Pat Hogan, and Chol Majok to compete for the Democratic nomination.
Sharon Owens' supporters have challenged the signatures of Davis and Oliver, citing issues such as non-Democratic signers and mismatched addresses. According to Syracuse.com, these challenges could reduce the primary to a three-way race. Both Davis and Oliver have expressed their intent to fight the objections, with Davis stating, "I feel 100% confident in my petitions."
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican candidate Thomas Babilon in November's election. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 24, with early voting from June 14 to 22. The Democratic Party holds a significant voter enrollment advantage in Syracuse, with about 50% of registered voters, compared to 13% for Republicans.
All Democratic candidates have the option to pursue independent ballot lines for the general election if they do not secure the primary nomination. Independent campaign petitions can be submitted from April 15 to May 27, requiring 1,443 signatures. LocalSYR reports that the winner in November will succeed Mayor Ben Walsh, who is term-limited and will leave office at the end of the year.