SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Ben Walsh, the first independent elected as mayor of Syracuse in more than 100 years, was flanked by Democrats as he delivered his victory speech.

Walsh won the race for mayor without the support of a major party -- in a majority-Democrat city.

He is the scion of a prominent Republican family, yet won with broad support, including from prominent Democrats Helen Hudson, Monica Williams, Walt Dixie and Sharon Owens.

Walsh originally sought the Republican nomination, but wasn't given a chance when he refused to register with the party.

He ran on the Independent, Reform and Upstate Jobs party lines. The last independent mayor of Syracuse was elected in 1913 on the Progressive Party line.

Walsh, 38, comes from a family of Republicans, including a former mayor, a congressman and two judges.

He will be the first descendant of a mayor to occupy to City Hall.

Though five candidates appeared on the ballot, the race for mayor came down to two.

Walsh won with 54.3 percent of the vote, or 13,013 votes. Democrat Juanita Perez Williams trailed with 38 percent of the vote, or 9,105 votes. Perez Williams conceded defeat around 10:45 p.m.

None of the other three candidates cleared 5 percent. The two frontrunners had the race to themselves.

Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins had 4 percent of the vote. He and Walsh became the first minor-party candidates in 60 years to earn more votes than a major party candidate. Republican Laura Lavine won less than 3 percent of the vote.

Together, the remaining candidates didn't reach 8 percent, though pre-election polls showed them with a combined vote of 18 percent.

A poll also showed 12 percent of voters were undecided a week before the election.

Walsh saw a surge in the latest poll by Syracuse.com | Spectrum News | Siena College, after trailing Perez Williams in a previous poll. That surge carried him into Election Day.

Turnout in this fiercely competitive race appears to be on par with the 2009 election, in which Mayor Stephanie Miner was elected. That year, turn-out was the second-lowest in a century.

Walsh out-polled Perez Williams in the neighborhoods on the out-most edges of Syracuse. Perez Williams had her strongest showing on the Near West Side, South Side and the neighborhoods around Syracuse University.

Check back to Syracuse.com for more updates on the election.



Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers federal courts, government and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992