New York City voters were on track to reject a measure on Tuesday that could have moved local races to even-numbered years, aligning them with presidential elections in a bid to improve voter turnout.
With about 95% of votes counted, more than 53% of voters had cast ballots against the proposal, compared to less than 47% who approved of the election reform.
Save for a few bright spots like this year, voter participation in mayoral and other city elections has been trending in the wrong direction over the last several decades. In 2021, just 23% of registered voters cast ballots in the general election where Mayor Adams was elected.
Meanwhile in a typical year, two to three times as many voters turn out in New York City to weigh in on the country’s next president, according to Citizens Union, a good government group.
By changing the election calendar, proposal No. 6 aimed to boost the number of voters deciding who should lead City Hall and hold other offices, such as comptroller, public advocate or borough president.
Proponents said the shift would have improved the democratic process and increased representation, particularly for young voters and voters of color who turn out less frequently in odd-year elections.
Multiple big cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Baltimore, have already made the switch.
But critics feared the move could backfire if national elections eclipsed voter attention on local issues and limited the opportunity for an upstart candidate to break through. It also raised question about how local races could serve as a referendum on the outcome of a presidential contest, as President Trump loomed large over this year’s mayoral election.
Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect, revealed Tuesday that he voted no on the ballot proposal. Andrew Cuomo, the former governor who ran as an independent, supported it.
