By David Tyler and Jason Klaiber
Manlius residents resoundingly defeated a proposal to create a ward system in the town in a special election held this past Saturday.
Nearly 3,000 people voted in the hotly debated special election, with a final tally of 890 in favor of the measure and 2,105 opposed.
At times, the line to vote at the single polling place at Manlius Town Hall stretched down the block on Brooklea Drive. Some voters reported waiting in line for more than two hours to cast their ballot.
The special election was the result of a petition process championed by the Manlius Republican Party, who cited the fact that the members of the current town board all reside in and around the villages of Fayetteville and Manlius, without any elected officials from the northern part of the town. If successful, the measure would have carved the town into six wards, drawn by the Onondaga County Board of Elections.
While campaigning for the ward system, some members of the Manlius GOP stated that the issue was not about politics, but about ensuring that all parts of the town had adequate representation on the town board. Democrats countered that it was a cynical attempt by the Manlius GOP to create safe Republican seats on the board at a time when Democrats have effectively swept townwide elections in recent years.
Last Wednesday, a rally was held by Manlius Democrats at Canal Landing Park in Fayetteville urging constituents to vote against the proposed switch to a ward system for the town of Manlius. During the event, members of the town board and local residents stepped to a podium to voice their concerns about the potential change from an at-large system of government to a new layout.
Calling the consideration and scheduling process “rushed” and the proposal a “political ploy” that would unnecessarily divide the town, Councilor Heather Waters said that more dialogue and study was needed to know whether a ward system would be best for the community, while Councilor Elaine Denton said a ward-based structure would shrink the choice voters have for their town representatives.
The nearly 3,000 voters in the special election represent about one-third of the number of voters that traditionally vote in townwide elections and are about 12% of the registered voters in the town.
While the decisive vote may temporarily table a ward system in Manlius, it remains to be seen whether it will be put before voters again in the future.
Members of the town board, all Democrats, campaigned heavily against the measure, which they saw as a rushed power grab by Republicans, but recently passed the town’s new comprehensive plan that calls for studying whether a ward system would be a more effective form of governance than the current at-large voting. Similarly, Manlius GOP Chairman and supervisor candidate Tim Kelly told WRVO he still believes the ward system would benefit the town and hopes conversations on the decision continue.
