Onondaga County voters face new challenges as local elections shift to even years

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — For Onondaga County voter Carry Blanco, casting a ballot means more than showing up at the polls. It means doing the research to make an informed decision, a responsibility that could become more challenging as New York shifts many local elections to even-numbered years.

“I think there’s a lot of bias in the news, sometimes, that isn’t necessarily fair reporting, so you really have to do a lot of legwork on your own,” Blanco said.

With local races now sharing the ballot with state and federal contests, voters like Blanco face the challenge of keeping up with more candidates and political issues during a single election cycle.

New York’s Even Year Election Law, signed in 2023, moves many county and town elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, beginning with elections in 2026. Supporters believe the change will increase voter participation, while opponents worry local issues could get overshadowed by larger political races.

Dustin Czarny, Onondaga County Democratic elections commissioner, said local elections have historically struggled to attract voters.

“Those local election years have historically had some of the most low turnout we’ve seen in any of our elections,” Czarny said.

By combining elections, supporters hope voters who typically turn out for presidential, congressional and statewide races will also participate in local contests.

But the change raises questions about whether voters will have enough information to make informed decisions about candidates running for offices closer to home.

Local news organizations could face greater pressure to balance coverage of community issues with high-profile state and federal races, potentially leaving voters with fewer opportunities to learn about local candidates.

Kevin Ryan, Onondaga County Republican elections commissioner, criticized the law, arguing that it could shift voters’ attention away from local government and toward national politics.

“I think that was part of the Democrats’ motivation when they rammed through this even year election scheme, so that they can make every election a referendum on the president and not have to deal with the failed policies that they implement here locally,” Ryan said.

The debate over the law highlights competing concerns about voter participation and the visibility of local issues. While holding elections together could bring more people to the polls, it could also make it harder for smaller races to compete for attention.

For Blanco, that puts an even greater responsibility on voters to look beyond political headlines and research the candidates who could have a direct impact on their communities.

As Onondaga County adjusts to the new election schedule, voters face a familiar responsibility under different circumstances: making sure they know who and what they are voting for before heading to the polls.