November 3, 2009
The cheers of Matt Rayo’s (pictured left) family and friends rang out Tuesday night in the nearly empty room at the Republican Election Night party at the OnCenter in Syracuse. Republican Rayo beat Michael Heagerty in the election for Syracuse common councilor in the 1st District. Or rather, Matt Rayo and Michael Heagerty beat Michael Heagerty.
Rayo, 23, is a newcomer to politics in Syracuse. He graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry just last spring.
Heagerty had an advantage as the incumbent. This advantage and his Democratic Party affiliation ought to have been enough for him to secure reelection.
Except Heagerty didn’t get enough signatures to appear as a Democrat on the ballot, and had to settle for the Working Families Party line. This moved his name from the top row of the ballot to the bottom.
Commissioner of the Board of Elections Ed Ryan, D-Syracuse, told reporters a week earlier that he saw it coming. Ryan said Heagerty’s failure to sign his own name to the nominating petition is what cost him the Democratic Party line.
“People tend to vote with their party line,” said Bob Teachout, a Conservative who has run for City Council and State Assembly. He voted for Rayo, who is his neighbor.
In the unofficial vote count Rayo had 1,844 votes and Heagerty had 1,154.
“I think what it showed is that Heagerty, he didn’t really stay on top of the detail and unfortunately it adversely affected him,” said Matt Rayo’s uncle Robert Rayo. “[Heagerty is] certainly a good guy. Matt found a crack in the armor and moved right in.”
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