NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6245

Senate Bill S6245

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires village elections on the same date as general elections take place on even numbered years

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 07, 2025	referred to elections

2025-S6245 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §15-104, El L; amd §§3-302, 9-910 & 16-1600, Vil L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9385

2025-S6245 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires village elections occurring on the same date as the general election take place on even numbered years.

2025-S6245 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6245

SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law and the village law, in relation to
requiring village elections on the same date as general elections take
place on even numbered years

 
PURPOSE:

To ensure that village elections are on the same date as general
elections take place in even-numbered years.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: amends section 15-104 of the election law to stipulate that
the general village election be held on the Third Tuesday in March
except in any village that has or adopts a proposition to elect officers
on a day that is not the third Tuesday in March. Villages that have
elections on the day of the general election in November are required to
hold these elections in even-numbered years.

Section 1 also states that in any village scheduled to hold an election
on the third Tuesday of March and March 17th of that year is a Tuesday,
the election is moved to March 18th.

Furthermore, Section 1 states that villages with elections on the day of
the general election in November will hold these elections in even-num-
bered years.

Finally, Section 1 finds that the board of trustees of a village may
adopt a resolution for village elections to be conducted by the board of
elections.

Section 2: Amends paragraph a of subdivision 7 of section 3-302 of the
village law which allows the board of trustees of any village that has
provided trustees and mayors a four-year term may adopt a separate
resolution or local law allowing their specific village to hold general
village elections in odd-numbered years or even number years as they
choose.

Section 3: Amends Subdivision 8 of section 9-910 of the village law so
no special election can be held in March, October, or November.

Section 4: Amends the third undesignated paragraph of section 16-1600 of
the village law so that a proposition for the reincorporation of a
village under this article cannot be submitted at a special election
during February, March, October, or November.

Section 5: Village elected officials serving their term as of January
1st, following the enactment of this law, will complete their full term.
If their term completion requires an odd-numbered year election, the
term will expire as if elected in the previous even-numbered year
election.

Section 6: Provides severability so that if any part of the act is held
invalid, it will not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.

Section 7: Sets effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York's current system of holding local elections on Election Day in
odd-numbered years leads to voter confusion and exhaustion, ultimately
resulting in low voter turnout in local elections. Studies have consist-
ently shown that voter turnout is the highest in November. Election Day
in even-numbered years when elections for State and Federal offices are
held. Syncing local elections will ease voter confusion and will lead to
greater citizen participation in local elections. Further, eliminating
odd-year Village elections on the general election day in November will
save taxpayer dollars.

Chapter 741 of 2023 was a significant first step in transitioning local
elections to even-numbered years, requiring certain Towns and County
elections to be held in even-numbered years. This bill is the next
logical step needed to continue consolidating our elections and ensure
higher voter turnout.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Senate

2024: S9385, Referred to Elections Assembly

2024: No Assembly Same-As

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next, succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

2025-S6245 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6245
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law and the village  law,  in  relation  to
   requiring village elections on the same date as general elections take
   place on even numbered years

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 15-104 of  the  election  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  248 of the laws of 1983, paragraph b as amended by
 chapter 565 of the laws of 1998, paragraph c as amended by  chapter  359
 of  the  laws  of 1989, and paragraph d as amended by chapter 684 of the
 laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
   1. a. The general village election shall be held on the third  Tuesday
 in  March  except  in  any  village which presently elects, or hereafter
 adopts a proposition to elect, its officers on a  date  other  than  the
 third  Tuesday  in March. VILLAGES THAT HAVE ELECTIONS ON THE DAY OF THE
 GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER SHALL HOLD SUCH ELECTIONS ON THE DAY OF THE
 GENERAL ELECTION IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS.
   b. In any village in which the general village election, or a  special
 village  election for officers pursuant to this chapter, is scheduled to
 be held on the third Tuesday of March, for any year in which the  seven-
 teenth day of March shall fall on such Tuesday, the board of trustees of
 such  village shall provide, by the resolution prescribed by paragraph b
 of subdivision three of this section, that such election shall  be  held
 on  the  eighteenth  day of March. Any provision of a resolution adopted
 pursuant to this subdivision shall not  otherwise  alter  the  political
 calendar for any such election, which shall continue to be computed from
 the  third  Tuesday of March. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivi-
 sion five of this section, any provision of a resolution adopted  pursu-
 ant  to  this  subdivision  shall be effective only if such provision is
 specifically published as provided by this section.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00941-01-5

 S. 6245                             2
 
   c. The board of trustees of a village may adopt a resolution,  subject
 to  a  permissive  referendum as provided in article nine of the village
 law, providing that village elections shall be conducted by the board of
 elections. The board of trustees of a village which has adopted  such  a
 resolution and which is wholly in one county may also adopt a resolution
 providing  that  village elections shall occur on the day of the general
 election IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS provided that all the election districts
 contained within such village  are  wholly  within  such  village.  Upon
 approval of such a resolution by the board of trustees and, if requested
 by  petition, approval by a vote of the qualified voters of the village,
 the county board  of  elections  shall  conduct  all  village  elections
 including in those cases in which such village elections are held on the
 day  of the general election, primary elections, if any. Such resolution
 shall be effective for all elections in such village held more than  six
 months after such resolution is adopted, provided however, that a resol-
 ution  providing  that  village  elections shall occur on the day of the
 general election IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS, shall  be  effective  for  such
 elections  in  such  village for which the primary election is held more
 than six months after such resolution is adopted.
   d. Except as otherwise provided by law, to be  elected  in  a  village
 election,  a  candidate must receive more votes than any other candidate
 for the office. In the event of a tie at a village election,  a  run-off
 election shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of section 15-126
 of  this article; provided, however, that if all candidates receiving an
 equal number of votes agree to waive a run-off  election,  the  election
 shall be determined according to the provisions of paragraph d of subdi-
 vision two of section 15-126 of this article.
   §  2. Paragraph a of subdivision 7 of section 3-302 of the village law
 is amended to read as follows:
   a. The board of trustees of any village which has  provided  that  the
 terms of office of all trustees, or the terms of office of mayor and all
 trustees  shall  be  four  years, may, subject to permissive referendum,
 adopt a separate resolution or local law providing that general  village
 elections  shall  be held biennially in the odd numbered years or in the
 even numbered years, as they shall determine,  or  may  include  in  any
 resolution  or local law providing that the terms of office of all trus-
 tees, or the terms of office of mayor and all  trustees  shall  be  four
 years,  a provision that general village elections shall be held bienni-
 ally in the odd numbered years or in the even numbered years;  PROVIDED,
 HOWEVER,  THAT  SUCH  GENERAL  VILLAGE  ELECTIONS HELD ON THE DAY OF THE
 GENERAL ELECTION SHALL BE HELD ON EVEN NUMBERED YEARS.  No  such  resol-
 ution  or  local law, however, shall become effective within thirty days
 prior to a general village election.
   § 3. Subdivision 8 of section 9-910 of the village law is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   8.  No  special election shall be held hereunder in the [month] MONTHS
 of March, OCTOBER, OR NOVEMBER.
   § 4. The third  undesignated  paragraph  of  section  16-1600  of  the
 village law is amended to read as follows:
   A  proposition for the reincorporation of a village under this article
 shall not be submitted at a special election during the months of Febru-
 ary [or], March, OCTOBER, OR NOVEMBER.
   § 5. Notwithstanding  any provision of any general, special  or  local
 law,  charter,  code,  ordinance,  resolution, rule or regulation to the
 contrary, a village elected official, subject  to  the  requirements  of
 sections one, two, three, or four of this act, elected and serving their
 S. 6245                             3
 
 term  as  of  the  first of January next succeeding the date on which it
 shall have become a law shall complete their full term as established by
 law. Provided, however, that   if   the completion  of  such  full  term
 results  in  the  need for an election in an odd-numbered year after the
 first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have  become
 a  law,  the  village official elected at such election shall have their
 term expire as if such official were elected  at  the  previous  general
 election held in an even-numbered year.
   §  6.  Severability.  If  any provision of this act is held invalid or
 ineffective in whole or in part or inapplicable to any person  or  situ-
 ation, such invalidity or holding shall not affect, impair or invalidate
 other  provisions  or  applications of this act that can be given effect
 without the invalid provision or application, and all  other  provisions
 thereof  shall  nevertheless  be  separately and fully effective, and to
 this end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.
   § 7. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

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