Advocate Asks City Council to Support NYC Even-Year Elections Constitutional Amendment

MEMO OF SUPPORT

Res. 189-A of 2024 (Ung)

Urges NYS Legislature to Pass Constitutional Amendment
Moving NYC Elections to Even Years

December 4, 2024

TITLE OF RESOLUTION
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the voters to approve, an amendment to the New York State Constitution to move New York City elections to even-numbered years.

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
Reinvent Albany supports this bill because we believe it will lead to more participation in democracy.

NYC has historically had low voter turnout, and participation is even lower in odd-year elections – 29.5% in mayoral elections vs. 60.8% in presidential elections, according to Citizens Union. Though the data is not yet final, one early analysis found that NY’s voter turnout for 2024 may end up in the bottom ten states. The dropoff in NYC was likely even worse than the state’s.

In 2023, the State Legislature and Governor took steps to counteract this trend by moving local elections to even years. Curiously, NYC was excluded. We see no good reason why the state should try to increase voter turnout in the suburbs but not in one of the biggest cities on the planet.

We urge the Council to pass the resolution, and the State Legislature to finally pass a bill moving NYC elections to even years.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS
This resolution calls on the State Legislature to pass, and voters to approve, a bill moving NYC elections to even years.

Click here to view this memo as a PDF.