"In addition to voting in the highly anticipated mayoral race this November, New Yorkers will make another consequential decision this election day. They'll also decide whether the city will begin holding elections only on even-numbered calendar years. While it may sound irrelevant, it's an important yay or nay. The measure, as written in Ballot Proposal 6, would mean that off-year primary and general elections would begin taking place in the same year as the presidential elections."
"In the last mayoral election, which took place in an odd-year (2021), only 23 percent made it to the polls. Even this year, with a high-profile mayoral election and turnout trending upward, some predictions say that only between 30 to 40% of New Yorkers will vote. And, according to a 2022 Citizens United report, the six largest U.S. cities that hold local elections in odd-numbered years see turnout between 10% to 38% for mayoral races."
Ballot Proposal 6 would move New York City local primary and general elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, aligning off-year contests with presidential elections. The change follows recent state shifts and a Court of Appeals decision upholding moving many town and county elections to even years. Proponents say consolidation will increase turnout because odd-year contests have historically low participation: the 2021 mayoral election had 23% turnout and forecasts this year range 30–40%. Largest cities with even-year local elections report 50–75% turnout. Consolidation could also improve administration and reduce costs, according to city budget analysis.
Read at Fast Company
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