Today is Primary Day in New York state. Polls are open from 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. This primary is for state and federal elections, including Congress, State Senate, and State Assembly. While there aren't a lot of races on the ballot, there are several races that could have a big impact on November's general election.
Once the polls close, <b>WRVO will have live updates online</b> and a full roundup of races from around central and northern New York on Wednesday morning during Morning Edition.
Here is a rundown of some of the races and issues in today's primary:
22nd Congressional District
The closest race in today's primary is likely between two Democrats, State Sen. John Mannion and DeWitt Town Councilor Sarah Klee Hood, who are running to take on incumbent Brandon Williams (R-Sennett) in the fall. Mannion and Klee Hood agree on many issues, but there are some differences in their campaigns.
<b>Read more our profile on John Mannion</b>
<b>Read our profile on Sarah Klee Hood</b>
<b>Listen to a debate between Mannion and Klee Hood on the Campbell Conversations</b>
24th Congressional District
The Republican primary in the 24th Congressional District is a rematch from two years ago between incumbent Claudia Tenney and Mario Fratto. Tenney won the primary in 2022 by more than 4,000 votes, but Fratto is back this year, and <b>the campaign has not been pretty.</b> Fratto has accused Tenney of not being conservative enough, while Tenney has called Fratto a "charlatan" and "fraud."
<b>Listen to Tenney and Fratto go back and forth on Watertown radio station WATN</b>
48th State Senate District
A Republican primary in the State Senate's 48th District will determine who will face incumbent Democrat Rachel May in November. Caleb Slater is self-employed and says he's not happy with the way the state is being run. His opponent, Fanny Villarreal, is the executive director of the YWCA of Syracuse and Onondaga County and is on the board of Home Headquarters. She moved to Syracuse from Peru in the 1990s.
<b>Read more about the Republican primary in the 48th State Senate district</b>
50th State Senate District
This Senate seat is open, because current Sen. John Mannion is running for Congress. Salina Town Supervisor Nick Paro is the only Republican running, but two Democrats are running in today's primary to determine who will face Paro this fall. Chris Ryan is an Onondaga County legislator with more than 20 years of legislative experience. His opponent, Tom Drumm, is a former Oswego County legislator who says his youth sets him apart in this race.
<b>Read more about the Democratic primary in the 50th State Senate District</b>
There aren't many contested primaries this year
Several counties across the state don't have any primaries. In the North Country, there are just nine contested primaries across nine counties in the region.
<b>Read more about primaries in the North Country</b>
Watch out for scams
Some voters in New York are getting texts giving them false information about where to vote in Tuesday’s primary. Elections officials are urging voters to ignore them, and the company behind the messages is blaming a computer error.
