Sharon Owens

Sharon Owens is an American politician who is the 55th mayor of Syracuse, New York. A Democrat, she is the first Black mayor of Syracuse and the second female mayor of Syracuse. Owens assumed office on December 31, 2025.
Before being elected mayor, Owens served as Syracuse's deputy mayor under Mayor Ben Walsh. In 2025, Walsh was term-limited and was not eligible to seek re-election to a third term; he endorsed Owens as his successor. A Democratic primary was held on June 24, 2025, and Owens prevailed. Owens went on to win the 2025 Syracuse mayoral election in a landslide, defeating Republican Thomas Babilon, independent Alfonso Davis, and independent Tim Rudd.