Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Polls will remain open for just a few more hours, although many Central New Yorkers don’t have a lot of contested races to decide.
The top three Onondaga County positions are unopposed and there are no contested races in any town of Clay race. Meanwhile, six county legislature seats have just one candidate.
In many municipalities, it's hard to find people who want to run for office. There are political reasons why people and parties won’t challenge an incumbent. But, for a lot of people, elected office is a tough, thankless job.
After 22 years, one Onondaga County lawmaker has decided not to run again.
"It's like I've been liberated now because I'm not running," said Sam Laguzza of the 16th County Legislative District. "I'm kind of retiring, but I hate to use that word, but stepping aside for someone who's younger, who wants to put in the full-time commitment."
Syracuse University political science professor Grant Reeher noted that public office at the local level is an increasingly rigorous calling.
"Local office holders are increasingly being asked to do a job that gets tougher and tougher," Reeher said. "It is not very well paid and then they get criticism from the media or other constituents."
Laguzza says the county legislature is like a second full-time job on top of the one he’s had all this time at Wegmans. He says it's not just the legislative sessions, committee meetings, and homework for each of them, it's the amount of time you need to spend with the people you represent.
"Three, four days a week is pretty normal," Laguzza said. "There's weekend events and you try to get to as many as you can so you can honestly know what your constituents are thinking."
Laguzza says he uses up about three and a half weeks of his vacation time from Wegmans so he can attend various legislative meetings, many of which fall during regular work hours.
A member of the Onondaga County Legislative makes just over $25,000 a year. Each member is required to detail in writing for the state that they spend at least 30 hours a week on legislative business.
