Albany, New York Daily Newspaper Urges Governor Kathy Hochul to Veto Bill that Moves Most Local Elections from Odd Years to Even Years

The Albany Times-Union, the daily newspaper for Albany, New York, here asks New York Governor Kathy Hochul to veto S3505B/A4282B. These are the identical bills that move most New York state local partisan elections from November of odd years to November of even years. The bill has no effect on New York city elections, which would continue to be in odd years.

The legislature passed these bills on June 9, and still hasn’t sent them to the Governor. New York’s legislature commonly waits months after passing a bill to send that bill to the Governor. That is considered a courtesy to the Governor, because it gives the Governor much more time to decide whether to sign the bill. After the bill is sent to the Governor, the Governor must act quickly. Thanks to Joe Burns for the link.


Comments

Albany, New York Daily Newspaper Urges Governor Kathy Hochul to Veto Bill that Moves Most Local Elections from Odd Years to Even Years — 12 Comments

  1. They are right. It’s wholesome to increase turnout for local elections by having more competitive local elections. But it’s gimicky to increase turnout for local elections by tacking them onto the Fed/State ballot.

    Maybe the editorial board could have tried to think of reasons why so many local elections are unopposed / uncompetitive…
    -Other candidates couldn’t get on the ballot due to signature/$$$ requirements
    -Districts are gerrymandered so that one party / one incumbent always wins
    -Other parties couldn’t get on the ballot, forcing the energy into the major party primaries instead
    -Higher levels of government (Fed/State) exert so much power that there isn’t much power left at the local level
    -High levels of people not working in the same locality as they live (social disconnection)

  2. A.C.

    MANY LOWER POP LOCAL REGIMES WITH AT LARGE LEGIS BODIES = NOOOO MINORITY MEMBERS EVEN 49.9 PCT OF TOTAL

    PR
    APPV
    TOTSOP

  3. If governments above local still exist -hopefully not for long – at least keep them confined to their own affairs, and out of the business of local governments.

  4. When the city of Los Angeles did this, moving elections from Spring of odd-numbered years to November of even-numbered years (an 18 month difference), they extended all (nominally 4 year) terms by those 18 months instead of reducing them by 6 months.

    How is the NY bill handling the term alteration?

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