Joanie Mahoney
Encyclopedia
Joanne M. "Joanie" Mahoney (born 1965) is the County Executive
of Onondaga County, New York
. She is the first woman to hold this position. She took office on Tuesday, January 1, 2008.
, as the middle child of nine children http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/09/untested_but_undeterred_she_pr.html. Her father, Bernie Mahoney, was a member of the Syracuse Common Council and then the New York State Assembly. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor in Syracuse three times http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/09/untested_but_undeterred_she_pr.html.
Mahoney attended Shea Middle School and Corcoran High School
in Syracuse, then received her undergraduate degree from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management
at Syracuse University
. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Mahoney received her law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law
.
She is married to Marc Overdyk and has four children.
She decided against running for re-election, choosing to spend more time with her children and focus on her newborn son. In 2005, she announced she would seek the office of Mayor of Syracuse, challenging incumbent Matthew Driscoll
, a Democrat
. She ultimately lost to Driscoll 49% to 46%, with Green Party
candidate Howie Hawkins
receiving 5% of the vote http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2005/11/09/News/Mahoney.Concedes.Election.Thanks.Supporters-1050884.shtml.
It was the closest mayoral race in over 80 years for Syracuse http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
After Mahoney's victory in the 2007 County Executive race, she was inaugurated on January 1, 2008.
Mahoney was considered a potential candidate for Congressman James T. Walsh
's vacant House seat in the 2008 election; however, she declined on the obvious grounds of just having assumed office as County Executive http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-13/120125500063600.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
announced his retirement. Mahoney decided to run, but failed to win the endorsement of the Onondaga County Republican Party, which endorsed Dale Sweetland
, Chairman of the County Legislature http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
Mahoney then decided to seek the Republican nomination in a party primary held on September 18, 2007. In the primary, she edged out Sweetland by only 21 votes http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=3. However, Sweetland's name would remain on the ballot on the Conservative Party and Independence Party lines.
During the general election, Mahoney was pitted against New York State Assemblyman, William "Bill" Magnarelli. Mahoney campaigned on bringing a "fresh start" to the County, while Magnarelli campaigned on the grounds that he was more experienced than Mahoney. She also argued that Magnarelli was too tied to Albany to understand how Onondaga County worked – something the voters should not tolerate http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1193821369306720.xml&coll=1.
In the course of the race, Mahoney picked-up some key endorsements. She was endorsed by Syracuse Tomorrow, the political action committee of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/10/chambers_pac_backs_mahoney.html; The Post-Standard, the local newspaper in Syracuse http://www.news10now.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=125084; and Republican presidential-hopeful Rudy Giuliani
, who is very popular in upstate New York http://www.wtvh.com/home/related/10933461.html.
Ultimately, Mahoney won the election in a landslide victory, earning 58% of the vote to Magnarelli's 36% http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2007/11/07/News/Mahoney.Elected.Executive-3083759.shtml.
On November 19, 2007, Mahoney announced the names of her transition team that would ease the switch from Pirro's administration to hers. As she had promised on the campaign trail, it was a bipartisan team of Republicans and Democrats. The honorary co-chairs of her transition team were Republican County Executive Nick Pirro and former Syracuse Mayor Thomas Ganley Young, a Democrat http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1194861481313660.xml&coll=1.
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. She is the first woman to hold this position. She took office on Tuesday, January 1, 2008.
Personal
Mahoney was raised in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, as the middle child of nine children http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/09/untested_but_undeterred_she_pr.html. Her father, Bernie Mahoney, was a member of the Syracuse Common Council and then the New York State Assembly. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor in Syracuse three times http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/09/untested_but_undeterred_she_pr.html.
Mahoney attended Shea Middle School and Corcoran High School
Corcoran High School
Corcoran High School is a public high school located in Syracuse, New York, having approximately 1800 students. In 2005, it became a member of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. It is one of the top 1000 ranked schools in the country as of 2009, but has been in the top 600...
in Syracuse, then received her undergraduate degree from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management
Martin J. Whitman School of Management
The Martin J. Whitman School of Management is the business school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Named after Martin J. Whitman, an alumnus and benefactor of the school, the school was established in 1919...
at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Mahoney received her law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law , founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is one of only four law schools in Upstate New York Syracuse University College of Law (SUCOL), founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law...
.
She is married to Marc Overdyk and has four children.
Career and political experience
An attorney by trade, Mahoney previously served as Criminal Prosecutor in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office. She left work in 1997 to become a full-time stay-at-home mother, but decided to run to serve part time on the Syracuse Common Council http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1193821369306720.xml&coll=1. She won election to the Syracuse Common Council in November 1999 and served from 2000 until 2002 http://knightpoliticalreporting.syr.edu/democracywise/candidate_display.cfm?candidateid=9.She decided against running for re-election, choosing to spend more time with her children and focus on her newborn son. In 2005, she announced she would seek the office of Mayor of Syracuse, challenging incumbent Matthew Driscoll
Matthew Driscoll
For the basketball coach, see Matthew Driscoll .Matthew John "Matt" Driscoll is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 52nd Mayor of Syracuse, New York from July 10, 2001 until December 31, 2009....
, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. She ultimately lost to Driscoll 49% to 46%, with Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
candidate Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins
Howie Hawkins is an American politician and activist with the Green Party of the United States and Socialist Party USA. He co-founded the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976 and the Green Party in the United States in 1984. He was New York's Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in the...
receiving 5% of the vote http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2005/11/09/News/Mahoney.Concedes.Election.Thanks.Supporters-1050884.shtml.
It was the closest mayoral race in over 80 years for Syracuse http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
After Mahoney's victory in the 2007 County Executive race, she was inaugurated on January 1, 2008.
Mahoney was considered a potential candidate for Congressman James T. Walsh
James T. Walsh
James Thomas "Jim" Walsh is an American Republican politician from Syracuse, New York. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District, in the United States House of Representatives for twenty years.-Early...
's vacant House seat in the 2008 election; however, she declined on the obvious grounds of just having assumed office as County Executive http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-13/120125500063600.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
County Executive election, 2007
In February 2007, long-time incumbent County Executive Nicholas J. PirroNicholas J. Pirro
Nicholas J. Pirro, Jr. is a New York politician most notable for having served as county executive of Onondaga County, New York....
announced his retirement. Mahoney decided to run, but failed to win the endorsement of the Onondaga County Republican Party, which endorsed Dale Sweetland
Dale Sweetland
Dale A. Sweetland is a Republican politician from Fabius, New York. In 2008, Sweetland ran for the seat of retiring Republican Congressman James T...
, Chairman of the County Legislature http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=2.
Mahoney then decided to seek the Republican nomination in a party primary held on September 18, 2007. In the primary, she edged out Sweetland by only 21 votes http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194429611132160.xml&coll=1&thispage=3. However, Sweetland's name would remain on the ballot on the Conservative Party and Independence Party lines.
During the general election, Mahoney was pitted against New York State Assemblyman, William "Bill" Magnarelli. Mahoney campaigned on bringing a "fresh start" to the County, while Magnarelli campaigned on the grounds that he was more experienced than Mahoney. She also argued that Magnarelli was too tied to Albany to understand how Onondaga County worked – something the voters should not tolerate http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1193821369306720.xml&coll=1.
In the course of the race, Mahoney picked-up some key endorsements. She was endorsed by Syracuse Tomorrow, the political action committee of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce http://blog.syracuse.com/politicalnotebook/2007/10/chambers_pac_backs_mahoney.html; The Post-Standard, the local newspaper in Syracuse http://www.news10now.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=125084; and Republican presidential-hopeful Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
, who is very popular in upstate New York http://www.wtvh.com/home/related/10933461.html.
Ultimately, Mahoney won the election in a landslide victory, earning 58% of the vote to Magnarelli's 36% http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2007/11/07/News/Mahoney.Elected.Executive-3083759.shtml.
On November 19, 2007, Mahoney announced the names of her transition team that would ease the switch from Pirro's administration to hers. As she had promised on the campaign trail, it was a bipartisan team of Republicans and Democrats. The honorary co-chairs of her transition team were Republican County Executive Nick Pirro and former Syracuse Mayor Thomas Ganley Young, a Democrat http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1194861481313660.xml&coll=1.
Electoral history
- Mahoney ran as a Republican and under the Fresh Start Party line
- William Magnarelli ran as a Democrat and under the Working Families Party line
- Dale Sweetland ran under the Conservative and Independence Parties of New York
- Ed Ryan ran under the It's Your County Party line