Pictured are members of the 2024 Chautauqua County Legislature. These lawmakers will serve for two years and then in November, 2025, county legislators elected that year will have a one-year term due to the pending change of election cycles.

After 2025, just about any elected town or county official will have their election date moved to an even year.

Shortly before Christmas, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation which updates the election calendar by aligning many local elections currently held in odd-numbered years with statewide and legislative elections that are held in even-numbered years.

The proposal had been discussed for several months, after the Senate and Assembly passed bills just before the end of the 2023 summer session, moving the elections of town and county governments to even years. The governor’s signature was needed to finalize it.

The push had been due to the higher turnout when races for the president or the governor are on the ballot.

State Sen. George Borrello was highly critical of the change. “Although they claim this will benefit local elections by placing them on the ballot in the high-turnout years of federal and state elections, the truth is that local candidates and issues will be totally overlooked as these higher-profile races suck all the oxygen from campaign season. So, while there may be more warm bodies in the polling places, many of those voters will, without a doubt, have little to no information or interest in local candidates. Instead, they will be voting blindly for parties, not people, in those local races. Is that a path to a healthy democracy? Most would say ‘no,'” he said in a statement.

The Chautauqua County Board of Elections is still gathering information regarding the new legislation.

Republican Election Commissioner Brian Abram said the change will affect county legislators, the county executive, town council members, town supervisors, clerks and highway superintendents.

He doesn’t know yet if it will apply to town or county judges, because those offices have special regulations.

The legislation does not apply to constitutionally protected offices; therefore the offices for the county clerk, district attorney and sheriff are not expected to change.

Abram said the legislation will not impact cities either, so no changes will be required for Jamestown and the city of Dunkirk.

Village elections in New York state are held in March, unless the local village board moves their elections to November. Abram said of the 13 villages in Chautauqua County, 11 have November elections. He said those villages that moved their elections to November are not expected to have to move their elections if they fall on odd-numbered years.

Abram said in 2025 is when impacts will take place. The majority of town offices have four-year terms. In the county, the executive position is a four-year office, while legislators are for two years.

In the 2025 elections, any two-year term will be shortened to one year and any four-year term will be shortened to three years.

In the news release announcing the change, Hochul said it will promote democracy.

“Every eligible New Yorker deserves the right to participate in the democratic process without unnecessary barriers,” she said. “By signing this legislation, we are taking a significant step towards expanding access to the ballot box and promoting a more inclusive democracy. This is a meaningful first step and I would support a constitutional amendment to align all election years, to save taxpayer dollars and avoid voter fatigue.”

Abram disagreed with that statement.

“It doesn’t simplify the process. … It’s the same process with the same deadlines. The same methods are there; all we’re doing is shifting races from one year to an even year, but we still aren’t doing anything that extends the time or extends the days or makes something a major change in how we vote here in New York state,” he said.

In November, less than 30% of eligible Chautauqua County voters participated in the local elections. By comparison, gubernatorial elections can generate up to 50% of voters and presidential elections can generate 75% turnout.

Because of this change, Abram agreed that more people will likely vote in town or county races. “Yes, it will increase the amount of people who participate in the local elections, but as far as the other side of the coin, will it save money? No. Will it streamline the process and help the voter navigate a ballot that can be somewhat complex? No. It’s certainly not,” he said.

County Democratic Election Commissioner Luz Torres said time will tell how this change will impact local elections.

“It’s something that we have to do. We are no longer going to have elections on the odd years. I guess we have to see how it goes,” she said.