Unofficial election results show a slight increase in turnout among New Yorkers this year as compared to 2012, but turnout in many northern and central New York counties decreased.
Both in ballots cast and turnout rates, Oswego (64 percent), Onondaga (69 percent), Jefferson (62 percent) and Tompkins (71 percent) counties were down from 2012. Only Oneida County had the same turnout rate this year (66 percent) as 2012, even though there were fewer total votes.
The depressed turnout seems to have hurt the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. The former New York senator received 187,122 votes in those five counties, 33,528 fewer than President Barack Obama did four years ago.
It was the opposite result for Republican nominee Donald Trump who got 182,234 votes, which is 26,422 more than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney managed in 2012.
Both Onondaga and Tompkins Counties stayed Democrata blue this election and Oneida and Jefferson Counties remained Republican red. But Trump was able to swing Oswego County from blue to red, winning there by double the amount that Obama did four years ago.