New York Judge Declares Law Shifting Local Elections to Even Years Unconstitutional

The ruling blocks a 2023 law intended to align local elections with state and federal races, citing violations of the state constitution.

State Supreme Court Justice Gerard Neri ruled that the law infringes on local governments' rights to manage their own electoral processes.
The law, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, aimed to increase voter turnout by aligning local elections with higher-turnout state and federal elections.
Critics, particularly Republicans, argued that the law was a partisan move to benefit Democrats by leveraging higher turnout in presidential election years.
The decision has been praised by Republican officials as a protection of local electoral control and criticized by Democrats who plan to appeal.
The ruling does not affect New York City elections, which are governed by separate constitutional provisions.