The upstate mayoral primary races you should know about

It’s primary season – and not just in New York City. Voters will head to the polls on June 24 to decide the nominees for each party, and in many of New York’s blue cities, winning the Democratic Party nomination can be as good as winning the general election. In upstate New York, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse and Rochester will each hold primary elections for mayor, and at least in Syracuse and Albany, the result will be a new face in City Hall, no matter who wins.

While the issues on voters’ minds can vary, many upstate cities are struggling through similar issues as New York City: looking for solutions as the federal government’s policies upend years of planning for massive projects, searching for appropriate ways to approach immigration issues, trying to fix the reality (or at least the perception) of rising crime, putting together a plan to alleviate the housing crisis as well as finding ways to balance their budgets and boost the economy.

Across the state, the left has preferred candidates who have built up a reputation for supporting progressive causes, worked hand in hand with organized labor or who otherwise fit the mold of what a new generation of leaders should be. Meanwhile, entrenched political forces in several cities are looking to get behind candidates who have been on the scene for quite some time and plan to cash in years of relationships to land the top job in City Hall.

Buffalo

Incumbent: Chris Scanlon, a Democrat

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s home base is deciding on a new mayor, and Buffalo Democrats are facing a packed primary reminiscent of New York City. Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon, state Sen. Sean Ryan, Buffalo Common Council Member Rasheed Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire Department Commissioner Garnell Whitfield Jr. and community advocate Anthony Tyson-Thompson are all vying for the Queen City’s top job.

With the race nearing its final stretch, the field has begun to narrow largely to Scanlon and Ryan. Scanlon steadily rose through the ranks of local politics before he became Common Council president. From there, he became acting mayor in October when Byron Brown left City Hall to run the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. Incumbency is a good launchpad for any candidacy, and Scanlon can also point to recent state budget wins for Buffalo – including a new hotel bed tax and approval for a parking authority – that are expected to raise revenue.

But Ryan, who has held state office since 2011, has the support of both the Erie County Democratic Party and the New York Working Families Party, not to mention a campaign war chest and a network of labor support.

Scanlon has been able to fundraise exceptionally well since he took office, relying upon the same contractor and developer network that Brown did. While Scanlon and Ryan have traded allegations of campaign finance irregularities, it doesn’t look like cash will be the deciding factor.

Whoever wins the race and the following general election will be on the front lines of an ongoing trade dispute with Canada and will need to grapple with a city budget shortfall in the tens of millions. Ryan, Scanlon and the rest of the Democratic field are scheduled to attend a debate at 7 p.m. on June 3 at D’Youville University’s Kavinoky Theatre, which will be broadcast on WIVB.

Albany

Incumbent: Kathy Sheehan, a Democrat

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan announced in February 2024 that she wouldn’t seek reelection to lead New York’s capital city, and four Democrats are now competing to replace her: Albany Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs, Common Council President Corey Ellis, Albany County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin and former tech executive Dan Cerutti.

The top issues on voters’ minds are public safety and affordability. Though crime is down, the city is facing a staffing shortfall in its police ranks, and high-profile incidents like a shooting near the governor’s residence have led some to feel that Albany isn’t safe. Coupled with the need to bring vacant housing units back online and reduce overall housing costs, this has voters looking for solutions from the next administration. There is hope that the $400 million included in the state budget to revitalize downtown Albany can help address some of these issues. At the candidates’ first debate on April 30, they largely discussed housing and public safety, as well as what to do with the $400 million from the state.

Applyrs and Cerutti appear to be separating themselves from the pack. The pair currently lead the field in fundraising – with Cerutti able to count on large outside spending on his behalf, which has raised some eyebrows in the Applyrs camp. Applyrs can count on the support of the Working Families Party, state Attorney General Letitia James, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assembly Member Gabriella Romero. Cerutti, on the other hand, has garnered support from Albany County Comptroller Susan Rizzo and former five-term Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings.

Rochester

Incumbent: Malik Evans, a Democrat

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans is facing two challengers in his quest for a second term: Rochester City Council Member Mary Lupien and businessperson Shashi Sinha.

Rochester has become a surprising flashpoint for upstate immigration policy between area raids, federal threats and visits from President Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan. The city currently faces a federal lawsuit over its sanctuary city status, and Evans said that he plans to hold firm on Rochester’s immigration policy.

Evans’ challengers are pushing bold action of their own. Lupien plans to introduce universal basic income, and Sinha wants to cut property taxes by 40% and build 4,000 housing units on vacant Rochester lots. Evans is leaning on his record and pointing to decreasing poverty and crime rates. The race has seen some interesting outreach methods, with Lupien hosting a Reddit “Ask me anything” in May that received hundreds of responses.

In a puzzling move, the Working Families Party – whose voter enrollment in Monroe County has steadily trickled upward – opted not to endorse any candidates in the Democratic primary. It’s the first time that the progressive third party, which endorsed Evans four years ago, has stayed out of the race. Citizen Action of New York also declined to endorse in the primary. The Monroe County Democratic Party and several key unions have backed Evans, while Lupien has received endorsements from several progressive groups like New York Progressive Action Network, Moms Demand Action and Workers United.

Syracuse

Incumbent: Ben Walsh, an independent

Syracuse may have its first Democratic mayor in years when independent Ben Walsh leaves office. Syracuse Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens and Syracuse Common Councilors Patrick Hogan and Chol Majok are vying for the Democratic nomination.

Hogan has won the endorsement of the Syracuse and Onondaga County Democrats as well as state Sen. Christopher Ryan, Assembly Members William Magnarelli and Pamela Hunter, Common Council President Helen Hudson, Councilor-at-Large Rasheada Caldwell and Syracuse School Board President Tamica Barnett. Meanwhile, Owens has endorsements from Walsh, Syracuse City School District Superintendent Anthony Davis, state Sen. Rachel May, the Working Families Party, Citizen Action of New York and 1199SEIU. Majok counts Syracuse City School District Board of Education Commissioner Gwendolyn Raeford among his endorsers.

Former city Budget Director Tim Rudd had also planned to run as a Democrat, but that was scrapped after he called Owens a “slave breaker” and promptly lost his job. He then tried to switch parties and run as a Republican, but the local GOP wouldn’t have him. (The Republican Party instead chose Thomas Babilon, a former city lawyer, as its nominee.) Rudd has now qualified to make the ballot as an independent in November.

Top of mind for voters is the local housing crisis and what combination of regulation or support for affordable housing construction the city should take in response, as well as how to navigate the Trump administration's immigration directives. Voters are also focused on public safety, especially as the current police chief is set to retire.

The winner of the race will continue to help lay the groundwork for Micron’s semiconductor plant in nearby Clay, which is expected to be a boon for the local economy. The new mayor may also need to coordinate with the state to find a contingency plan for the I-81 redesign project. The outdated highway separates marginalized communities from the rest of Syracuse, and motorists find it to be inefficient. The redesign project is already underway, but the federal government may revoke the grant powering the project.