New York mayoral elections may see a huge change in future years-here's what to know

"New Yorkers already have enough dates to keep straight-garbage day, Gridlock Alert Days, days when the Q train is mysteriously suspended-so here's one more possible shake-up: Mayoral elections could soon shift to even-numbered years. This November, voters won't just be deciding who gets to run City Hall; they'll also weigh a ballot proposal that could permanently align future city races with presidential and midterm elections-meaning that the next time you're voting for president, you might also be picking the mayor."

"And New York is hardly alone-most cities across the country follow this model. Supporters say moving everything onto the same crowded November ballot could double (or more) the number of New Yorkers weighing in on city leadership. Las Vegas is often cited as Exhibit A: Once the city switched to on-cycle elections, turnout jumped from about 37,000 voters to more than 244,000."

Voters will decide whether to move mayoral and other city elections from odd-year off-cycle dates to even-year presidential and midterm election days. Off-cycle local elections experience very low participation. Shifting city races to November could substantially raise turnout; Las Vegas saw participation climb from roughly 37,000 to over 244,000 after switching. Consolidating election dates would cut administrative, staffing, and printing costs by eliminating separate election days. Supporters say combined ballots are more convenient for voters. Potential downsides include longer, more crowded ballots and altered campaign dynamics and voter attention.

Read at Time Out New York