ROCHESTER, N.Y. — An exhausting several months of campaigning is about to pay off for one of two Democrats facing off in the party primary in the race for Rochester mayor.  

Mayor Lovely Warren figures she’s knocked on thousands of doors the past few months, the work it takes to get the vote out on the eve of Primary Day.

“We're talking to our voters and asking them to continue supporting us for the work that we've been able to accomplish,” said Warren. “And to be able to accomplish much, much more in a future.”

For a sitting mayor, campaigning is a balance. Official business like a press event earlier in the day, then visiting communities — where Warren says education and violence are the things weighing most on people’s minds.

“With all the violence that's happening across the country, that is also of course concerning,” she said. “But as you know, we have done a lot pre-pandemic, and we are getting back to doing what we did before, and that is getting into the faces and getting into the middle of some of these disputes.“

Warren’s Democratic challenger worked the phones the day before the primary. Malik Evans also knows the importance of getting his supporters to the polls.

“You know that you have your supporters out there,” said Evans. “But you want to make sure that you remind them to go out and vote. Anything can happen, you know.”

Evans says the issues he hears about most are trust in city government — and the rise in violence.

“It is a heck of a challenge," he said. "I mean, I think that it is something that is extremely important. We know that everyone wants to feel safe. Everyone wants to have safety. And when you have an incident like we had this past weekend, where a mother was murdered in front of her children, I think that that is just, it's tough for the family, but it's also tough for the psychology of Rochester."

County-wide, more than 5,100 people took part in early voting. Primary Day polls are open Tuesday June 22 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.