Chautauqua County voters continue to drop in local elections. Gov. Kathy Hochul is said to be considering legislation which would move most local elections to gubernatorial and presidential years, when turnout is higher.

The representatives who oversee elections in Chautauqua County are split if this would help improve things.

For this past election, voter turnout is expected to be around 28%. That final total will depend on how many absentee ballots are returned. They’re due by Nov. 20, although they would have already been required to be postmarked in order to be counted this year.

County Republican Election Commissioner Brian Abram said local elections have always been lower than presidential or gubernatorial years, but this year was worse than usual. “We can’t get our mind around it. We’re offering nine days of early voting at four different locations. We’re conveniencing voting and the voting process and yet the numbers seem to be dwindling. It’s a bad trend,” he said.

Abram said historically local elections would average in the mid to upper 30% of registered voters to the polls. Gubernatorial races would often draw 50-55% turnout and presidential races draw 72-75% turnout.

Over the summer both the state Assembly and state Senate passed legislation that would move town and county elections to even-numbered years, when gubernatorial and presidential races take place.

At the time, Republican state lawmakers accused sponsors of playing politics by moving local elections to higher-turnout presidential election years, which could favor Democrats. They also claimed local races in even years would be overshadowed.

“The concern is if you mix it in with all of us, those issues are going to be way taken over by presidential or congressional or even state issues,” Republican Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said in an Associated Press interview.

Hochul has yet to take up the legislation.

Over the summer, Abram expressed his opposition to moving local elections. He reiterated his stance this past week, even with the low turnout.

Abram noted that even if county and town elections move, cities would not. That would have meant Dunkirk and Jamestown voters would still be going to the polls.

Also, vacancies would need to be filled as well.

In 2023, three town supervisors passed away – Allen Chase in Charlotte, Dick Purol in Dunkirk and John Walker II in Sheridan. In all three municipalities, a current town board member decided to run for the vacated position. Because the three individuals ran, that left their own seat vacated. That left six vacancies to be filled. Even if there weren’t town elections in 2023, all six would have been on the ballot.

This year all six were uncontested but they still needed to be part of an election.

Abram said while the death of three officials is highly unusual, vacancies are becoming more common. “The problem is a lot of people don’t fulfill their terms. The vacancy process has gotten to the point where when I started here it was very, very minimal. One year we tracked it and it was up to 30,” he said.

He also expressed concerns regarding the size of the ballot. Having all towns and county races on a ballot with state and/or federal positions would make the ballot very large.

The legislation also wouldn’t apply to constitutional positions, including Sheriff, County Clerk or District Attorney. All of those seats are up in 2025.

Abram said getting people to the polls when it’s just those positions could be incredibly difficult.

County Democratic Election Commissioner Luz Torres said while she does agree with Abram that the off-years could be difficult, she does believe town and county elections could benefit. “If the governor asked me, would I think she should sign this (legislation), I would tell her yes,” she said.

Torres also thinks it will happen, whether Chautauqua County wants it to happen or not.

In August the Chautauqua County Legislature passed a motion opposing moving town and county elections to even years to line up with gubernatorial or presidential races. The motion passed 14-4 with all four Democrats opposing it.

The motion has no practical effect, other than stating a viewpoint. The final decision lies with the state.

If elections do move, Abram said he is certain that it will not save any money. That’s because the fixed costs will remain.

“I don’t think any commissioner in New York state is going to look at the legislation and go ‘oh boy that’s going to save us money.’ That doesn’t seem to be in the equation,” he said.