The Ballot Brief
Onondaga County, New York

Onondaga County Sheriff

2 candidates are tracked for Onondaga County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Toby Shelley and RJ Lenhart. Candidate information follows official Onondaga County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

New York › Onondaga County › Onondaga County Sheriff

Incumbent Sheriff Toby Shelley (Democratic, We The People), first elected in 2022, seeks re-election against RJ Lenhart (Republican, Conservative), a retired Syracuse police officer and Senior Investigator in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office, per WAER and the Onondaga County Board of Elections candidate list. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

Toby Shelley

Democratic · Incumbent

Biography
Shelley is the sitting Onondaga County Sheriff, first elected in 2022 after nearly three decades with the Sheriff's Office and 30 years in the Air Force and Air National Guard, per his campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Accountability and integrity in the office
  • Transparency, including body-worn and in-car cameras and timely release of footage
Per the campaign site.
Per the candidate campaign site.
Campaign site

RJ Lenhart

Republican

Biography
Lenhart is a retired Syracuse police officer and former undersheriff now working as a Senior Investigator in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office, per WAER.
Campaign site

Questions about this race

Who is running for Onondaga County Sheriff in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Onondaga County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Toby Shelley and RJ Lenhart. Candidate information follows official Onondaga County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Onondaga County Sheriff election in New York?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New York are on the New York election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Onondaga County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Sources
Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Onondaga County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official New York election office, or see the full Onondaga County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.