Early Voting Continues in New York State

By Chilekasi Adele

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – DeWitt Town Hall’s courtroom has become an early voting center. Voting booths and machines are arranged across the courtroom floor. This center is one of six early voting centers in Onondaga County.

Now none of those early voting centers include Syracuse University’s campus. SU does have one election day polling place. David Bruen, president of the Student Association, said there is legislation in Albany to improve access to voting on college campuses.

He says he has spoken with local leaders, and with New York Governor Kathy Hochul about that when she visited SU for the 2020 commencement this past September.

“She said that it was sort of a common-sense proposal and that if it got to her desk, she would support it,” Bruen said.

Bruen is encouraging students to vote in these off-year elections — so is Onondaga County Legislature candidate Heather Waters — who previously served as Assistant Dean for Advancement in Syracuse University’s School of Education.

“Don’t just vote in presidential elections — get to know, even where you are at school, or where you’ll live after — get to know the local governments because they are definitely impacting you every day,” Waters said.