New York City likely to decide against synchronizing the mayoral election with the presidential election.

New York City voters appear poised to decisively reject a proposed ballot measure aimed at aligning local elections with presidential election years. As of the latest counts, approximately 53% of voters opposed the measure, known as Proposal No. 6, while less than 47% supported it. The proposal aimed to shift city races to even-numbered years, a move intended to enhance voter turnout across various local offices, including mayoral, comptroller, public advocate, and borough president positions.

Historically, voter participation during mayoral elections and other local races in New York City has shown a troubling decline. For instance, in the 2021 general election that saw Eric Adams ascend to the mayorship, only about 23% of registered voters cast ballots. This is in stark contrast to presidential elections, which typically see a much higher turnout, with reports indicating that two to three times as many voters participate during these significant national events.

Advocates for the proposed change contended that synchronizing local elections with presidential contests would bolster democracy and improve representation, particularly for young voters and communities of color, demographics that often have lower turnout rates during off-year elections. Major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Baltimore have previously adopted similar reforms, citing enhanced civic engagement as a key benefit.

Nonetheless, critics of the measure expressed concern that such a shift could backfire, diverting public attention from local issues amid the national electoral discourse. They feared that this change might limit the visibility of emerging candidates who often rely on local engagement to build their profiles. Additionally, local races might inadvertently become a referendum on national elections, potentially overshadowing pressing city governance matters.

In a notable development related to the election, Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect, publicly stated his opposition to the ballot proposal, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent in the recent election, expressed his support for it. With the rejection of this measure, the discussion surrounding voter participation in local elections is likely to continue, highlighting the complexities and varying perspectives on how to best engage the electorate in New York City’s democratic process.

As the final votes are tallied and the implications of this decision unfold, it remains clear that enhancing civic engagement and improving electoral outcomes in local elections remains a high priority for many stakeholders in New York City.