Category Archives: Interviews

“We will have to go through each ballot one-by-one and hand-count them,” Czarny said. “This is going to be a doozy.” https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2021/06/recount-possible-in-syracuse-democratic-primary-for-mayor-official-says.html

“Your vote may determine not just who wins the primary, but who wins the general election, especially if they don’t have any major party opposition in November, like we’ve seen in the Buffalo mayor and the Rochester mayor,” Czarny said. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/binghamton/news/2021/06/23/low-turnout-for-upstate-new-york-s-major-mayoral-primaries

“Primaries in low turnout elections tend to be close,” Czarny said. “Both candidates were very active and equally supported by the public.” https://cnycentral.com/news/local/syracuse-mayoral-primary-could-come-down-to-handcount-of-every-vote

“This is one of the closest I’ve seen for a race this size I’ve seen in my time as commissioner,” said Czarny. https://www.localsyr.com/news/your-local-election-hq/syracuse-mayoral-dem-primary-more-ballots-arrive-at-board-of-elections-almost-600-votes-still-to-be-counted/

“It could be voter fatigue of hyper partisan activity over the last four years,” Onondaga County’s Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny told NewsChannel 9. “We just don’t know.” https://www.localsyr.com/news/your-local-election-hq/dramatically-low-voter-turnout-in-syracuse-mayoral-primaries/

“It could flip the race, too,” said Dustin Czarny, Onondaga County Democratic elections commissioner. “Absentee ballots are peculiar. While they usually act in the same ratio that you see on Election Day, this ratio was so close, it could go any way.” https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2021/06/23/syracuse-mayoral-primary-too-close-to-call

In addition, one candidate could have made a stronger push for voters to request and return absentee ballots. “Absentee ballots are extremely influenced by campaigns,” Czarny said. “We have seen that in the past.” https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2021/06/good-news-for-khalid-bey-absentees-in-syracuse-mayoral-primary-come-from-his-strongholds.html

“It’s a local primary, so we are not going to see the turnout we saw last year or even in elections past,” says Dustin Czarny, Onondaga County Elections Commissioner (D). https://cnycentral.com/news/local/low-turnout-in-cny-primary-elections-could-mean-razor-thin-margins

The majority of results came in by 11 PM. Democratic Election Commissioner Dustin Czarny said results cards had to be physically driven to the board of election because the board does not do wireless transmission of results. https://cnycentral.com/news/local/tight-democratic-mayoral-primary-race-for-city-of-syracuse-burman-takes-republican-race

Onondaga County Elections Commissioners Dustin Czarny (D) and Michelle Sardo (R) appeared on NewsChannel 9 at 5:30pm to help voters with primary day information, including any remaining COVIVD-19 protocols in place at the polls. https://www.localsyr.com/your-local-election-headquarters-new-york-state/ahead-of-primary-day-onondaga-co-elections-commissioners-talk-to-newschannel-9/