The list of people who are running for mayor of Syracuse is long. But one group is hoping to add another name to that list: Juanita Perez Williams. While she isn't a stranger to city hall, she has not officially said whether or not she will run. Our Iris St. Meran tells us about the effort to convince her.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A number of candidates have their eye on the top job in the city of Syracuse. But one group of Syracuse residents says the right name still isn't on that list - Juanita Perez Williams.

"She's a hard-working person, and I say that without any reservation or qualification," said We Need Juanita! Committee member Melissa Menon.

'We Need Juanita!' is trying to convince Perez Williams to run for mayor. Perez Williams is no stranger to city hall, serving as corporation counsel before her current position as regional director of the state department of labor. 'We Need Juanita!' has a website and recently hired a polling firm to figure on how Perez Williams would fare in an election.

"If the election were to happen today, out of all of the folks who have opted in, who would they vote for; adding Juanita's name to that list,” Menon added, “So if Juanita were an option among the others, who would Democrats pick? And she came out on top."

This particular poll had Perez Williams with 36.7 percent, while 25.3 percent said they don't know. Menon was not involved in the actual polling, but says the firm polled 237 active voters who are Democrats. According to the Onondaga County Board of Elections, there are 38,423 active voters who are Democrats in the city of Syracuse.

TWC News reached out to Perez Williams, who said she is still deciding whether or not she will run, but feels encouraged by this group and the results of their poll.

"That means a lot to me, but much of it comes from talking with my family and my feelings for moving forward and taking a job like this,” Perez Williams explained. “There's a lot to be done. I have energy to do it and I want to do it, but I want to make sure the momentum is behind me."

She said she expects to have a decision in the next couple of weeks.

Here is the list of people who have officially entered the race: Republican Laura Lavine; Independent Ben Walsh; Democrats Andrew Maxwell, Alfonso Davis, Marty Masterpole and Joe Nicoletti.