State Sen. Rachel May will continue representing Cayuga County after winning a fourth term Tuesday.Â
May, D-Syracuse, defeated Republican challenger Caleb Slater to win the 48th Senate District race. She won with 74,353 votes to Slater's 53,891.
Slater, R-Syracuse, had a strong showing in Cayuga County, where he won with 18,187 votes. May received 15,318. But the race was decided in Onondaga, the district's largest county.Â
May outperformed Slater by more than 23,300 votes in Onondaga County, winning by a 59,035 to 35,704 margin.
Ë®¹ûÅÉAV's live updates on the 2024 election and Cayuga County-area races.
With the neighboring 50th Senate District receiving more of the focus from state Senate Republicans, Slater was the underdog in a Democratic district. Democrats outnumber GOP voters in the 48th, which includes the cities of Auburn and Syracuse.Â
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May highlighted her legislative record, from advocating for environmental protections to lowering taxes. She voted for legislation to strengthen abortion rights and pushed for additional state aid in the budget for local municipalities.Â
Slater, a property manager who is a Cayuga Community College alumnus, campaigned on affordability and public safety. Although he has been an activist and worked on campaigns, this was his first run for political office.Â
Before facing May, Slater defeated Fanny Villarreal in the Republican primary. But a misstep cost him another ballot line. He failed to accept the designation by the Conservative Party, which meant he didn't appear on the line.Â
May was first elected to the state Senate in 2018. For her first two terms, the district included parts of Onondaga and Oneida counties, plus Madison County.Â
In 2022, the district was redrawn to include all of Cayuga County and most of Onondaga County. May won reelection that year in a three-way race.Â
Gallery: Election Day 2024, watch parties in Cayuga County
Cayuga County Family Court judge candidate Steven Buschman votes at the Auburn Public Safety Building. He was joined by Roberta Williams, his mentor and senior partner of WHMB P.C., where Buschman is also a senior partner.
Ian Phillips, a Democrat challenging Republican Assemblyman John Lemondes in the 126th Assembly District, delivers Camerons doughnuts to poll workers at Auburn Alliance Church.Â
Kristin Garland, an associate Auburn City Court judge who is running for Cayuga County Family Court judge, delivers breakfast pizza to the poll workers at Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius.
Keith Batman, Democratic elections commissioner in Cayuga County, told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV there was a complaint about electioneering at Auburn Alliance Church. Democratic candidates have signs near the driveway to the church, which is one of the citywide polling locations. There was a measurement and the signs are more than 100 feet away from the polling place. Electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet of a polling place.
State Sen. Rachel May in Auburn on Tuesday.
People line up to vote Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church in Owasco.
People line up to vote Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church in Owasco.
Residents make their selections at Sacred Heart Church in Owasco on Election Day.
Moravia High School seniors Jadon Todd, right, and Lilian Miller check in Sharon Hilliard to vote at the Moravia town offices on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Sharon Hilliard makes selections before placing her ballot at the Moravia town offices on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Poll watcher Rick Galbato in Moravia on Tuesday.
Voting in Moravia on Tuesday.
Poll watchers Rick Galbato, standing left, and Cayuga County Republican Chairman Nate VeVone visit the Moravia polling center on Tuesday.
Sharon Hilliard casts her ballot in Moravia on Tuesday.
Alexis Randall celebrates with her children — from left, Lincoln, Gabrielle and Luca Giannone — after placing her ballot in Union Springs on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Residents place their ballots in Union Springs on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Residents gather at Trinity United Church of Christ in Union Springs for an election night dinner.
Election Day in the town of Ledyard in Cayuga County.
Voting in Genoa on Tuesday.Â
Poll workers check people in to vote at the firehouse on Seminary Street in Auburn on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Voters wait in line Tuesday evening at Casey Park in Auburn.
Voters leave their polling place on Election Day in Cayuga County.
Assemblyman John Lemondes, left, speaks with Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck at the Cayuga County Republicans' election night party Tuesday.Â
Auburn City Councilor Terry Cuddy, left, and City Clerk Chuck Mason watch election coverage while waiting for the local Democratic watch party to begin at Prison City Brewing.
Assembly candidate Ian Phillips attends the Cayuga County Democratic Committee election night watch party at Prison City Brewing in Auburn.
Steven Buschman hugs supporters after learning he won the newly created Cayuga County Family Court judge seat at the Republican election night watch party Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn.
Steve Buschman, left, stands with Cayuga County Republican Chairman Nate VeVone at the GOP election night party at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn Tuesday. Buschman was elected Cayuga County Family Court judge, defeating Democrat Kristin Garland.Â
Kristin Garland loses her race for Cayuga County Family Court judge to Steve Buschman.
Ian Phillips is defeated by Assemblyman John Lemondes in the 126th Assembly District race.
Steve Buschman delivers his victory speech after winning the race for Cayuga County Family Court judge Tuesday.Â
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.
Robert Harding
Online producer/politics reporter
