MANLIUS, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Large numbers of voters turned out on Saturday, Sept. 23, in Manlius as they decide whether or not to implement a new ward system in the town.
The new ward system ended up being rejected by the voters as 2105 people voted against it and 890 people voted in favor of it.
Voters came out to the Town Hall on Brooklea Drive to make their voices heard and had to wait in long lines, some for at least an hour to two hours, from what has been said to NewsChannel 9.
John Deer, Manlius Town Supervisor, said there was no way to understand the turn out that would come to vote. He is happy that the special election happened on a Saturday as he believes the turnout would have been lower if held on another day of the week.
“There was no way to understand the turnout that we would have. And there were some issues with multiple polling sites and the Board of Elections equipment and having a special election,” Deer said. “So that’s why we ended up picking a Saturday. I’m very pleased we did because I can’t even imagine if we were open for eight hours on a Tuesday that numbers would have been a lot smaller.”
Normally, Manlius has six to seven polling locations for elections, Deer said.
Video of the line can be seen below:
Currently, Manlius residents vote for six town councilors at-large with four-year terms. The new ward system would have divided the town into six wards, and residents in each ward would have voted for a councilor who lived in that ward for a two-year term.
