For Immediate Release
Contact: Lauren Mannerberg, lauren@anatgerstein.com, 929-553-7702
New York, N.Y. (October 9, 2024) – Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to a New York state Supreme Court judge’s ruling that the new state law that will move many local elections in line with state and federal elections in even-numbered years violates the state Constitution:
“We are deeply disappointed by the Onondaga Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the law moving local county and town elections to even-numbered years. This ruling is just the initial step in the process, and we are confident that New York State will appeal and that this decision will ultimately be reversed.
Aligning local elections with state and federal races is a proven way to increase voter turnout and make local government more reflective of the communities it serves. Experts overwhelmingly agree that consolidating elections is the most effective policy to increase voter participation, and over the past decade, many localities across the country have experienced significant gains in voter turnout by shifting local elections to even-numbered years.
Contrary to the judge’s opinion, there’s no evidence that voters are less informed about local issues in even-numbered election years. New Yorkers already vote for local offices like district attorneys and judges during major election cycles, and research consistently shows that the increase in ballot drop-off when moving elections to even-numbered years is minuscule compared with the increase in voter participation for down-ballot races.
Keeping local elections separate to avoid competition underestimates voters’ ability to focus on both local and national issues. Voters can and do engage with both local and national issues when given the opportunity. Our priority should be making it easier, not harder, for people to vote.”
To learn more, see our report “Moving Municipal Elections to Even-Numbered Years”, which highlights the benefits of consolidating elections, including increased voter turnout, a more diverse electorate, reduced voter fatigue, and significant cost savings.
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