Maurice Brown, or Mo as many in our community call him, believes that housing, healthcare and education are human rights.
He believes that every single person deserves to be treated with dignity and every child deserves a fair shot at an education regardless of their zip code.
Mo is an Alumni of both Onondaga Community College & Syracuse University.
Currently, Mo serves as the County Legislator for the 15th district of Onondaga County. The district includes parts of several neighborhoods including Westcott, Meadowbrook, University & Outer Comstock neighborhoods. Almost all of the Valley is included as well parts of the near Westside, Strathmore, Elmwood, Brighton, & the Southside.
Before taking office, Mo decided to enlist in the United States Army Reserve, as a Military Police Officer. At the age of 22, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant becoming the youngest non-commissioned officer in his unit.
Serving in the Military taught him many things, but there are two lessons that have shaped his character: that if we work together we can accomplish some truly amazing things, and that although people come in many sizes, shapes and colors, fundamentally we all want the same things.
In 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign activated Mo into the political arena. Mo volunteered for the campaign and he was nominated to become a National Delegate.
Mo has hosted rallies, town halls, and other public events as part of the campaign. Although the campaign was unsuccessful, organizing for Senator Sanders in Central New York proved to be a valuable experience.
Since then, Mo has worked on many electoral and issue campaigns here in Central New York.
In 2017, Mo co-founded Uplift Syracuse, a progressive advocacy group focused on bringing local change through electoral politics. Uplift fought to help build consensus for the Community Grid option, and they’ve worked to elect several progressives to local office.
Although Uplift isn’t as active as it once was, they created a people’s platform that’s still important to our situation today. Also, their transportation plan was the pillar of Mo’s county transportation policy.
As the region’s organizer for the Working Families Party, Mo also worked to get big money out of politics as a part of Fair Elections NY. By helping pass public financing, the coalition worked to replace corporate-funded elections with Fair Elections and make sure ordinary New Yorkers would have their voices heard.
As part of this winning campaign, Mo has spent time organizing rallies and press events in Buffalo, Albany, Rochester and here in Syracuse. This campaign helped put elections back in the hands of ordinary New Yorkers.
As an Organizer, Mo has worked or volunteered on several federal, state and local electoral campaigns in nearly every role. He managed winning campaigns for Mary Kuhn on the County Legislature and Anna Kelles in the State Assembly.
This time working campaigns has allowed Mo to meet some truly remarkable people. It’s affirmed his belief that there’s no other place like Syracuse, and no other community like ours here in Central NY.
Since Being elected to the County Legislature in 2023, Mo has remained a champion for Working Families. He’s fought to limit irrational “economic development” projects like the Syracuse Aquarium.
He’s fought to protect our community from the potential environmental impacts of the Micron Project, and he’s proposed budget amendments to address real problems in our community, and voted for an Aquarium-Sized investment into Affordable Housing in the Onondaga County Budget.
In 2024, former Legislature Chairman Tim Burtis, a republican, appointed Mo as the Legislature’s Rep on the Greater Syracuse Land Bank’s board. He also serves on many other community and nonprofit boards.
After helping lead the charge to flip the county legislature in 2025, Mo was named chair of the Ways and Means committee, which oversees the county’s over 1.7 billion dollar budget.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is this campaign focused on?
This campaign is focused on lowering costs for working families in Central New York. That means expanding affordable housing, reducing utility bills, improving public transportation, investing in prevention focused public safety, and ensuring corporations and the ultra wealthy pay their fair share.
What issues are most important in District 129?
Residents in Syracuse, Van Buren, and Geddes consistently raise concerns about affordability, housing costs, transportation reliability, and economic opportunity. This campaign is centered on delivering practical solutions that address those everyday challenges.
Who can vote in the Democratic primary?
Registered Democrats who live in New York State Assembly District 129 are eligible to vote in the June 2026 primary election.
How can I get involved?
You can donate, volunteer, host a house meeting, collect petition signatures, or sign up for campaign updates. Building a people powered campaign requires community participation.