Empire State Democrats won big in this year’s elections after their members passed a law that pushed some local races into even years – on the same ballot with federal candidates.
This was the first year since the 2023 law went into effect, pushing local races in towns and counties that were previously held on odd-numbered years to even years when turnout is higher.
Turnout is higher in years where there are federal elections, but critics have said the change links local issues to national debates — and favors Democrats in deeply blue New York.
“We’ve had great success,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, who pushed for the change to boost participation on years when statewide races and federal races bring more of his party out to vote. “I fought for 11 years to get even-year elections.”
Republicans are still holding out hope to separate the elections again.
The GOP filed a lawsuit to block the law, arguing that changing the local election cycles drowns candidates’ ability to run on local issues and was motivated as a way to help Democrats succeed in races that traditionally see lower turnout.
The state Court of Appeals upheld the law and Republicans filed a lawsuit in federal court, which is pending.
But in the meantime, Democrats are reaping the benefits from the new law which was passed by the Democratic-dominated legislature and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Jacobs rattled off a list of Democratic gains from the switch of local elections to even years — including historic Democratic wins for Hempstead town supervisor and clerk, Erie County clerk and a pickup of three legislative seats in Dutchess County.
Hochul was the last Democrat to win the election for Erie County clerk in 2010.
One campaign strategist said moving local elections to even years puts Republicans at a disadvantage, as this year’s results show.
It doesn’t get any better in a 2028 presidential year, which produces the biggest turnout of voters, particularly Democrats.
“It’s going to be more challenging for Republicans to win back seats they lost this year,” said O’Brien Murray, who has run campaigns for Republican and Democratic candidates.
It will put other Republican seats in jeopardy in 2028, he said.
“There’s greater Democratic turnout in even-year elections. That’s always been the case,” Murray said.
He personally believes holding elections for municipal and county offices in even years is a mistake because discussions of local issues “get lost in the clutter” while competing for attention with federal or statewide races.
Statewide, Democrats hold a better than 2-1 enrollment advantage — 6.5 million to 3 million, according to Board of Elections enrollment data.
Much of that advantage is in New York City, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 3.5 million to 578,000, the data shows.
But even outside of the Big Apple, there are 471,000 more Democrats than Republicans.
Democrats outnumber Republicans in 15 counties — including Erie, Nassau, Onondaga, Orange, Rensselaer, Rockland, Schenectady, Ulster and Westchester.
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