Latest news with #MaryLupien
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Takeaways from Rochester's primary elections
While Mayor Malik Evans faced the proverbial slings and arrows during his first term in office, Democratic voters gave him a strong endorsement as he coasted to a big primary election night lead over progressive Mary Lupien. Unofficial results give Evans a lead of nearly 3,200 votes over Lupien, a Rochester City Councilmember. Information technology entrepreneur Sashi Sinha finished the evening a distant third, with 1,329 votes. The winner of the June 24 primary will face Conservative Louis Sabo, who owns a photo design studio. Evans alluded to the criticism both local and beyond, including on the city's violent crime rates, to a jubilant crowd of supporters on election night. 'Because we knew we had to put aside childish things to focus on the larger community, and that is what we did for the past six months,' he said. The Rochester City Council will have familiar faces next year based on the unofficial results from the Monroe County Board of Elections. Incumbents Stanley Martin, Miguel A. Melendez Jr. and Mitch Gruber all made the cut of five candidates from a field of 15. Newcomers Lashunda C. Leslie-Smith and Chiara 'Kee Kee' Smith will join them in the general election, along with Conservative Marcus C. Williams. In the Rochester Commissioners of Schools race, incumbent Camille Simmons was the top vote-getter. The other two candidates moving on will be Kareem McCullough and Heather Feinman. When comparing to the 2021 totals, most Monroe County Legislative districts saw lower turnout. The 8 p.m. voter turnout report saw lower percentages of Democratic voters than four years ago, when citywide turnout was just 28.6%. Polls were open until 9 p.m.; all figures from June 24, 2025, are preliminary. Legislative District turnout (2021 figures in parentheses) 21st LD: 14% (31.6%) 22nd LD: 11% (21.2%) 23rd LD: 31% (43.5%) 24th LD: 32% (42.3%) 25th LD: 15% (27.4%) 26th LD: 15% (26.5%) 27th LD: 20% (28.3%) 28th LD: 9% (18.6%) 29th LD: 12% (20.4%) — Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Takeaways from Rochester's primary elections
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Takeaways from Rochester's primary elections
While Mayor Malik Evans faced the proverbial slings and arrows during his first term in office, Democratic voters gave him a strong endorsement as he coasted to a big primary election night lead over progressive Mary Lupien. Unofficial results give Evans a lead of nearly 3,200 votes over Lupien, a Rochester City Councilmember. Information technology entrepreneur Sashi Sinha finished the evening a distant third, with 1,329 votes. The winner of the June 24 primary will face Conservative Louis Sabo, who owns a photo design studio. Evans alluded to the criticism both local and beyond, including on the city's violent crime rates, to a jubilant crowd of supporters on election night. 'Because we knew we had to put aside childish things to focus on the larger community, and that is what we did for the past six months,' he said. The Rochester City Council will have familiar faces next year based on the unofficial results from the Monroe County Board of Elections. Incumbents Stanley Martin, Miguel A. Melendez Jr. and Mitch Gruber all made the cut of five candidates from a field of 15. Newcomers Lashunda C. Leslie-Smith and Chiara 'Kee Kee' Smith will join them in the general election, along with Conservative Marcus C. Williams. In the Rochester Commissioners of Schools race, incumbent Camille Simmons was the top vote-getter. The other two candidates moving on will be Kareem McCullough and Heather Feinman. When comparing to the 2021 totals, most Monroe County Legislative districts saw lower turnout. The 8 p.m. voter turnout report saw lower percentages of Democratic voters than four years ago, when citywide turnout was just 28.6%. Polls were open until 9 p.m.; all figures from June 24, 2025, are preliminary. Legislative District turnout (2021 figures in parentheses) 21st LD: 14% (31.6%) 22nd LD: 11% (21.2%) 23rd LD: 31% (43.5%) 24th LD: 32% (42.3%) 25th LD: 15% (27.4%) 26th LD: 15% (26.5%) 27th LD: 20% (28.3%) 28th LD: 9% (18.6%) 29th LD: 12% (20.4%) — Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Takeaways from Rochester's primary elections
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polls are open today for the 2025 primary election in Monroe County: What to know
Polls across Monroe County open this morning for the 2025 primary election. One of the most significant races on the ballot to keep an eye on is the Rochester mayoral race. Candidates are running at a time when they are met with concerns over issues such as the cost of housing, crime and transparency. Incumbent Malik Evans faces a challenge from Rochester City Council member Mary Lupien and IT executive Shashi Sinha. Here's what you need to know for the primary elections. You can look up where you are registered to vote, and which polling place you can attend, at The Monroe County primary election for 2025 will be held on June 24. Polls are open for regular voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24. Only registered party members are allowed to vote in each party's primary elections. Here are the qualifications to vote in New York: You must be a U.S. citizen; Be 18 or older; Not be in prison for a felony conviction; Not claim the right to vote elsewhere; And not found to be incompetent by a court. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the June primary was June 14. To apply for an absentee ballot go to The unofficial results will be available after 9 p.m. on June 24 at and 3rd District County Legislature (Republican): Scott Hand vs. Jack Merritt Rochester City Mayor (Democratic): Incumbent Malik Evans, Mary Lupien, Shashi Sinha Rochester Board of Education (Democratic): Kareem McCullough, Vince Felder, Camille Simmons, Heather Feinman (choose three) The full list can be found on the Monroe County Board of Elections website. — Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County. Get in touch at kweaver@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Monroe County primary election 2025: Where to vote, candidates
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Early voter turnout released for primary election
Just over 4,100 voters turned out to the polls during the nine-day early voting period before Tuesday's primary election. That's down 20% from 2021 ― the last time there was a serious contest for Rochester mayor and several at-large seats on City Council up for grabs. The primary for both positions effectively decides the race as the city tilts heavily Democratic. The early voting period ended June 22 with 4,122 ballots cast, according to the Monroe County Board of Elections. In 2021, 5,142 voters turned out for early voting. Polls are open for regular voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24. You can find your polling place at Rochester City Mayor (Democratic): Incumbent Malik Evans, Mary Lupien, Shashi Sinha 2025 primary: Who is running in the Rochester mayoral race? Here's what to know Rochester City Council (Democratic, choose 5): Luis Aponte, Kelly Cheatle, Niner Davis, Clifford Florence Jr., Mitch Gruber, Lashunda Leslie-Smith, Ann Lewis, Stanley Martin, Josie McClary, Miguel Melendez Jr., Miquel Powell, Victor Sanchez, Chiara "Kee Kee" Smith, Tonya Noel Stevens, Kevin Stewart 2025 primary: Who is running in the Rochester City Council primary? Here's what they value. Rochester Board of Education (Democratic, choose 3): Heather Feinman, Vince Felder, Kareem McCullough, Camille Simmons 2025 primary: Rochester school board primary: Meet the 4 candidates running for 3 seats 3rd District County Legislature (Republican): Scott Hand, Jack Merritt Brighton Town Council (Democratic - choose two): Christine Corrado, Clara Sanguinetti, Robin Wilt Wheatland Town Council (Republican - choose two): Steven Call, Timothy Davis, Joseph Snyder The unofficial results will be available after 9 p.m. on June 24 at and — Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Twitter @kaylacanne and @bykaylacanne on Instagram. Get in touch at kcanne@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Primary election in Rochester, Monroe County: Early voter turnout 2025
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who is running in the Rochester mayoral race? Here's what to know
As we enter primary election season residents will have three Democratic candidates to choose from for mayor of Rochester. The three candidates going up against each other for the upcoming primary are incumbent Mayor Malik Evans, City Councilmember Mary Lupien and IT Executive Shashi Sinha. This election comes at a time when residents are concerned about the city's sanctuary policy, the cost of living, transparency efforts and the overall future of Rochester. As part of the Democrat and Chronicle's effort to introduce voters to their mayoral candidates, we reached out to each nominee for their input and opinions on the issues most important to them. The answers of candidates who responded are presented in their entirety and have been lightly edited only where necessary for clarity. What makes you a qualified candidate? I have served as mayor for the past four years. Prior to serving as mayor I spent over 20 years in the Financial Services Industry helping people build a strong financial future. I have a long record of service to the Rochester community. As mayor I have expanded housing access, launched the Office of Violence Prevention and the Office of Financial Empowerment. What would be your primary area of emphasis in office? We would continue to expand a broad array of housing options for residents, expand economic opportunity, continue to make public safety a priority, focus on mental health and address the opioid crisis. What's a change in direction you would work toward in office? We would expand our Ambassador Program related to the opioid epidemic. The opioid epidemic has been ravaging communities across the country and Rochester-Monroe is no different. We will expand this direction to stop the scourge of the opioid epidemic which has become a silent killer. What makes you a qualified candidate? I'm a single mom, a teacher and a city councilmember who's been on the frontlines of Rochester's biggest challenges. I've spent the last 20 years working in housing, food security and education and the last five years passing bold policies that invest directly in our people like the Person in Crisis Team, tenant protections and violence prevention. I live in a working-class neighborhood, my daughter attends the RCSD and I know firsthand how our systems fail our families. I'm not backed by wealthy donors or political insiders. I'm backed by neighbors who are tired of broken promises. I've proven I have the courage to stand up to powerful interests and the passion to co-govern with our people. I'm running for mayor because Rochester needs leadership rooted in lived experience, not status quo politics. We deserve a city that works for all of us and I'm ready to deliver on that vision. What would be your primary area of emphasis in office? My primary focus as mayor will be investing directly in our people. For too long, our city has prioritized developers and flashy projects while our neighborhoods go underfunded and underserved. I will launch an Affordable Housing Action Plan that ends encampment sweeps, accelerates Housing First strategies, and breaks down barriers to homeownership. I'll create a Public Safety Transformation Team to expand community responders so residents get the right help in a crisis and police can focus on serious crime. I'll expand youth programming like jobs, mentoring, arts and sports so every young person sees a future for themselves in Rochester. And I'll push to replace RG&E with a public utility and launch a public bank so our city's money works for us. These are not just policies they are investments in the people who make Rochester home. What's a change in direction you would work toward in office? A key change I'll bring is reimagining the role of mayor from a gatekeeper of the status quo to a true advocate for the people. In times of crisis, residents shouldn't face punishment for being poor. No more encampment sweeps. No more waiting for outside investment to trickle down. Our community deserves a mayor who stands up for our most vulnerable, puts people before profit and demands accountability from every system that serves us. I will also fight for democracy in all its forms-protecting voting rights, defending our sanctuary status and making government more accessible and responsive. That means co-governing with the people of Rochester. We'll make decisions together, through participatory processes that center those most impacted. It's time to raise the bar for leadership with transparency, compassion and the courage to act boldly for the common good. What makes you a qualified candidate? I am not a career politician. I am a small business owner and a technology leader in corporate world where I define strategy and manage large budget. I have been living in Rochester for 14 years, raising my family and investing in the resurgence of old buildings other people gave up on. I am an immigrant, so I know firsthand the challenges. Now I am prepared to apply my experience to implement bold, actionable solutions that will address housing, crime, education and grow our economy. Others are managing decline. I am going to reverse it and lead this city forward. What would be your primary area of emphasis in office? My priority is fixing Rochester's public safety, housing crisis and education. These three foundational need are tightly interconnected and we can not get out of the current decline without addressing all three at the same time. My focus will also be growing our economy. I will build 4,000 affordable houses for ownership, not rent, with the city earning some revenue in the process. Property taxes would be gradually reduced by 40% over four years to relieve the burden of working families and seniors. I plan to drastically reduce crime. While no other mayoral candidate is talking about RCSD, I will not take a back seat. I am all about delivering results, not more studies or ribbon cuttings. I bring a bold, common-sense plan for the people, putting Rochester back on the map as a place families can call home again. What's a change in direction you would work toward in office? Rochester needs to stop managing decline and start building a future. I would shift the city's focus from reactive programs to bold proactive investment. My city run building effort to create 4,000 affordable homeownership units without any subsidies. So that residents can gain stability and wealth. I intend to cut property taxes by 40% over the next four years as a means of making it easy for families to keep going and stay here. I will also restore accountability in city government; enough ribbon cuttings with our streets still unsafe and our schools still underperforming. I will work instead of talk. This is what Rochester needs. — Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County. Get in touch at kweaver@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester 2025 mayoral primary race: Here's who the candidates are
