Hundreds cast write-in votes against unopposed NYS Sens. DeFrancisco, Valesky

By Michelle Breidenbach on December 09, 2014 at 11:32 AM

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Hundreds of voters decided not to let state Sens. John DeFrancisco and David Valesky get away with running unopposed in this year's election.

In both districts, voters likely set a record for the number of times they chose to write in a name on the ballot instead of allowing a senator to return to Albany with no opposition.

New paper ballots make it easier than ever for a quiet write-in protest.

To write in a name on the old lever machines, most voters had to know how to do it, then stand on tip-toes to write in a name at the top of the row of levers. Now, voters are handed a paper ballot.

"They already have pen in hand. They're already at a table. It's easier. It's more implicit on the ballot how to do it," Onondaga County Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said. "When you see any race where there's no challenge from the other party, you'll see these types of protest write-in votes because they just can't vote for the incumbent."

DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, won his seat with 69,169 votes, according to the Board of Elections.

But 713 voters wrote in another name.

There were five votes for Syracuse men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim against DeFrancisco. Another five votes went to former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, one for former President Bill Clinton and one for President Barack Obama. Talk show hosts Steven Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Maddow picked up one vote each.

There were also votes for the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player LeBron James, the singer Lady Gaga, and the Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

There was one vote for Oprah Winfrey, who wrote a check for $100,000 for a Syracuse community center in September.

One voter thought Linda DeFrancisco should take her husband's job.

For comparison, only 17 people wrote in another name against DeFrancisco and Democrat Carol Mulcahy in 2008, the last year voters used the old lever machines.

Mulcahy put her name on the ballot, but did not campaign.

There were 59 write-in votes in 2010 and 163 in 2012, with new paper ballots.

Valesky, D-Oneida, whose district covers part of Onondaga County, won 49,308 votes this year.

Across three counties, 648 voters wrote in another name.

In Valesky's race, voters wrote in the billionaire Warren Buffet, basketball player Trevor Cooney, and performer Taylor Swift.

In both Senate districts, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins received the most write-in votes (31 against DeFrancisco and 18 against Valesky.) Hawkins was on the ballot as a candidate for governor this year.

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