NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7369
SPONSOR: Walker TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing amendments to
section 21 of article 6, article 13, and section 6 of article 4 of the
constitution, in relation to requiring certain elections be held in
even-numbered years at the general election
PURPOSE:
To require certain elections to be held in even-numbered years.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends subdivision a of section 21 of article 6 of the
constitution so that any vacancy in the office of justice of the supreme
court, of judge of the county court, of judge of the surrogate's court
or judge of the family court outside the city of New York shall be
filled for a full term at the next general election occurring in an
even-numbered year.
Section 2: Amends article 13 of the constitution by adding two new
sections 9 and 10 so that the date of judicial officer elections are
held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in an even-num-
bered year and establishes the legislature shall enact laws that provide
for the election of an elective officer to take place on the Tuesday
after the first Monday in November in an odd-numbered year for a term
which will cause such officer's term to expire at the end of an even-
numbered year.
Section 3: Amends section 8 of article 13 of the constitution so that
elections for all city officers are held on the Tuesday following the
first Monday in November in an even-numbered year and that the term of
each official expires at the end of an even-numbered year.
Section 4: Amends section 3 of article 13 of the constitution, outlining
the procedure for filling vacancies in elective offices, also specifying
the procedure in the case of a simultaneous vacancy in the office of
governor and lieutenant governor.
Section 5: Amends section 6'of article 4, establishing the vacancy.
procedures in the case of a simultaneous vacancy in the office of gover-
nor and lieutenant governor.
Section 6: Amends subdivision (a) of section 13 of article 13 of the
constitution outlining the election process for various county officers
in New York, including registers, sheriffs, clerks,, and district attor-
neys, with elections occurring once every four years in even-numbered
years.
Section 7: Sets the effective date and process of adoption.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York's current system of holding certain city and other local
elections on Election Day in odd-numbered years leads to voter confusion
and voter exhaustion, ultimately resulting in low voter turnout in local
elections. Studies have consistently shown that voter turnout is the
highest on 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 elections to have less
frequent elections will save taxpayer dollars.
Chapter 741 of 2023 was a major first step in transitioning local
elections to even-numbered years, as it requires that certain Town and
County elections be held in even-numbered years. This constitutional
amendment is the next logical step needed to continue consolidating our
elections and ensure higher voter turnout.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A10466 - Referred to Election Law
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
That the foregoing amendments be session convening after the next the
assembly, and, in conformity constitution, be published for 3 election
referred to the first regular legislative succeeding general election of
members of with section 1 of article 19 of the months previous to the
time of such election.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7369
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing amendments to section 21 of article 6, article 13, and section
6 of article 4 of the constitution, in relation to requiring certain
elections be held in even-numbered years at the general election
1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 21 of article
2 6 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
3 § 21. a. When a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than by expiration of
4 term, in the office of justice of the supreme court, of judge of the
5 county court, of judge of the surrogate's court or judge of the family
6 court outside the city of New York, it shall be filled for [a full] the
7 remainder of the term at the next general election occurring in an even-
8 numbered year held not less than three months after such vacancy occurs
9 and, until the vacancy shall be so filled, the governor by and with the
10 advice and consent of the senate, if the senate shall be in session, or,
11 if the senate not be in session, the governor may fill such vacancy by
12 an appointment which shall continue until and including the last day of
13 December next after the election at which the vacancy shall be filled.
14 b. When a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than by expiration of term,
15 in the office of judge of the court of claims, it shall be filled for
16 the unexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment.
17 c. When a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than by expiration of term,
18 in the office of judge elected to the city-wide court of civil jurisdic-
19 tion of the city of New York, it shall be filled for [a full] the
20 remainder of the term at the next general election occurring in an even-
21 numbered year held not less than three months after such vacancy occurs
22 and, until the vacancy shall be so filled, the mayor of the city of New
23 York may fill such vacancy by an appointment which shall continue until
24 and including the last day of December next after the election at which
25 the vacancy shall be filled. When a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than
26 by expiration of term on the last day of December of any year, in the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89016-01-5
A. 7369 2
1 office of judge appointed to the family court within the city of New
2 York or the city-wide court of criminal jurisdiction of the city of New
3 York, the mayor of the city of New York shall fill such vacancy by an
4 appointment for the unexpired term.
5 d. When a vacancy shall occur, otherwise than by expiration of term,
6 in the office of judge of the district court, it shall be filled for [a
7 full] the remainder of the term at the next general election occurring
8 in an even-numbered year held not less than three months after such
9 vacancy occurs and, until the vacancy shall be so filled, the board of
10 supervisors or the supervisor or supervisors of the affected district if
11 such district consists of a portion of a county or, in counties with an
12 elected county executive officer, such county executive officer may,
13 subject to confirmation by the board of supervisors or the supervisor or
14 supervisors of such district, fill such vacancy by an appointment which
15 shall continue until and including the last day of December next after
16 the election at which the vacancy shall be filled.
17 § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That article 13 of the constitu-
18 tion be amended by adding two new sections 9 and 10 to read as follows:
19 § 9. All elections of judicial officers, other than village judicial
20 officers, shall be elected at the election held on the Tuesday succeed-
21 ing the first Monday in November in an even-numbered year, and the term
22 of every such officer shall expire at the end of an even-numbered year.
23 § 10. Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the
24 legislature may enact laws which provide for the election of an elective
25 officer of the state or any political subdivision of the state to take
26 place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November in an odd-
27 numbered year for a term which will cause such officer's term to expire
28 at the end of an even-numbered year.
29 § 3. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 8 of article 13 of
30 the constitution be amended to read as follows:
31 § 8. All elections of city officers, including supervisors, elected in
32 any city or part of a city, and of county officers elected in any county
33 wholly included in a city, except to fill vacancies, shall be held on
34 the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November in an [odd-numbered]
35 even-numbered year, and the term of every such official or officer shall
36 expire at the end of an [odd-numbered] even-numbered year. [This section
37 shall not apply to elections of any judicial officer.]
38 § 4. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 3 of article 13 of
39 the constitution be amended to read as follows:
40 § 3. The legislature shall provide for filling vacancies in office,
41 and in case of elective officers, no person appointed to fill a vacancy
42 shall hold [his or her] their office by virtue of such appointment long-
43 er than the commencement of the political year next succeeding the first
44 annual election in an even-numbered year after the happening of the
45 vacancy; provided, however, in the case of a simultaneous vacancy in the
46 offices of governor and lieutenant-governor, such officers shall be
47 elected as required under section six of article four of this constitu-
48 tion; and provided further, however, that nothing contained in this
49 article shall prohibit the filling of vacancies on boards of education,
50 including boards of education of community districts in the city school
51 district of the city of New York, by appointment until the next regular
52 school district election, whether or not such appointment shall extend
53 beyond the thirty-first day of December in any year.
54 § 5. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 6 of article 4 of
55 the constitution be amended to read as follows:
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1 § 6. The lieutenant-governor shall possess the same qualifications of
2 eligibility for office as the governor. The lieutenant-governor shall be
3 the president of the senate but shall have only a casting vote therein.
4 The lieutenant-governor shall receive for [his or her] their services an
5 annual salary to be fixed by joint resolution of the senate and assem-
6 bly.
7 In case of vacancy in the offices of both governor and lieutenant-gov-
8 ernor, a governor and lieutenant-governor shall be elected for the
9 remainder of the term [at the next general election] on the Tuesday
10 succeeding the first Monday in November happening not less than three
11 months after both offices shall have become vacant. No election of a
12 lieutenant-governor shall be had in any event except at the time of
13 electing a governor.
14 In case of vacancy in the offices of both governor and lieutenant-gov-
15 ernor or if both of them shall be impeached, absent from the state or
16 otherwise unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office of
17 governor, the temporary president of the senate shall act as governor
18 until the inability shall cease or until a governor shall be elected.
19 In case of vacancy in the office of lieutenant-governor alone, or if
20 the lieutenant-governor shall be impeached, absent from the state or
21 otherwise unable to discharge the duties of office, the temporary presi-
22 dent of the senate shall perform all the duties of lieutenant-governor
23 during such vacancy or inability.
24 If, when the duty of acting as governor devolves upon the temporary
25 president of the senate, there be a vacancy in such office or the tempo-
26 rary president of the senate shall be absent from the state or otherwise
27 unable to discharge the duties of governor, the speaker of the assembly
28 shall act as governor during such vacancy or inability.
29 The legislature may provide for the devolution of the duty of acting
30 as governor in any case not provided for in this article.
31 § 6. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That subdivision (a) of section
32 13 of article 13 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
33 (a) Except in counties in the city of New York and except as author-
34 ized in section one of article nine of this constitution, registers in
35 counties having registers shall be chosen by the electors of the respec-
36 tive counties once in every [three] four years in an even-numbered year
37 and whenever the occurring of vacancies shall require; the sheriff and
38 the clerk of each county shall be chosen by the electors once in every
39 [three or] four years in an even-numbered year as the legislature shall
40 direct. Sheriffs shall hold no other office. They may be required by
41 law to renew their security, from time to time; and in default of giving
42 such new security, their offices shall be deemed vacant. The governor
43 may remove any elective sheriff, county clerk, district attorney or
44 register within the term for which [he or she] they shall have been
45 elected; but before so doing the governor shall give to such officer a
46 copy of the charges against him or her and an opportunity of being heard
47 in his or her defense. In each county a district attorney shall be
48 chosen by the electors once in every [three or] four years in an even-
49 numbered year as the legislature shall direct. The clerk of each county
50 in the city of New York shall be appointed, and be subject to removal,
51 by the appellate division of the supreme court in the judicial depart-
52 ment in which the county is located. In addition to [his or her] their
53 powers and duties as clerk of the supreme court, [he or she] they shall
54 have power to select, draw, summon and empanel grand and petit jurors in
55 the manner and under the conditions now or hereafter prescribed by law,
A. 7369 4
1 and shall have such other powers and duties as shall be prescribed by
2 the city from time to time by local law.
3 § 7. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendments be
4 referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
5 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in
6 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be
7 published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.
