13 WHAM: New York's even-year election law prompts local ballot reshuffle

November 6, 2025 — WHAM reports the New York State Court of Appeals on Oct. 16 upheld a law moving local elections to even-numbered years to coincide with federal contests. The measure covers offices including town supervisors, county executives and aims to boost turnout; a federal lawsuit by the New York Republican Committee and several counties claims the law is unconstitutional and suppresses local candidate speech. The law excludes three-year terms and city/village offices, school boards, fire districts, sheriffs, clerks, district attorneys, and judges (county, family, surrogate, town). State Board of Elections transition: 2025 two-year offices serve one year (normal in 2026); 2025 four-year offices serve three years (normal in 2028); 2027 four-year offices serve three years (normal in 2030).

"We believe that what this does is relegates local issues and local elections behind national and state issues," Chris Koetzle, executive director of the New York Association of Towns said. His association agrees with the suit and believes the changes will lead to voter fatigue.

"I think already, we have folks across the state who may not necessarily be engaged in local elections to the level they should be," Koetzle said. "But now, those issues are going to be even further down the ballot and further removed from the voters' mind when they go into the booth and start voting for what will be the president, the governor, the U.S. Senator."

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