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Q&A
Clarifying the proposal for even-year elections and state involvement
0:44:04
·
3 min
Commissioner Carl Weisbrod questions Ben Weinberg of Citizens Union about the specifics of their proposal to move elections to even years.
Weinberg clarifies that their primary recommendation is a generic charter change to support even-year elections, leaving the exact mechanism (presidential or gubernatorial years) to be determined by the state's constitutional process. He acknowledges the multi-step nature involving state action but suggests the charter could potentially outline a transition mechanism contingent on state approval.
Carl Weisbrod
0:44:04
I just wanna understand your proposal.
0:44:06
I understand the desirability of even your elections.
0:44:11
But specifically on your proposal, are you suggesting that we change the charter generically simply to say we support even your elections leaving it up to the state to decide through the constitutional process whether it's presidential years or gubernatorial years or exactly what the process is?
0:44:35
And doesn't that either way, whether we're more specific or less specific, really open it up to the likelihood of a further new charter commission having to revise whatever we do because the state constitutional process has become specific and we have to abide by it.
Ben Weinberg
0:45:04
So I think there are two ways of looking at it.
0:45:07
Because the way that the state's proposals have so the state's proposals have so far have have developed the mechanism for transition in such a way where the they lay out a process where, as I mentioned earlier, you cut one year off the next term after the enactment of the bill.
0:45:29
So the year, whether it moves to a gubernatorial or presidential year, kinda just depends on the year you are currently holding your odd year election.
0:45:39
So for example, if that is if that passes, New York City, Albany, Rochester, and other cities move to a presidential election.
0:45:49
But y'all I
Sharon Greenberger
0:45:49
think your mic went out.
Ben Weinberg
0:45:53
Hear me?
0:45:53
Oh.
Sharon Greenberger
0:45:53
Yeah.
0:45:54
Now you're right.
Ben Weinberg
0:45:54
So I was saying the for example, New York City, Buffalo, Albany would move to a presidential election under that mechanism.
0:46:02
Y'all
Diane Savino
0:46:03
is
Ben Weinberg
0:46:05
Y'all It keeps going in and out.
0:46:10
Yonkers.
0:46:10
Who is that is that currently hold hold their election in 2023 would move to a gubernatorial election.
0:46:18
All that is to say that, yes, we think the safest bet is to say let's say, in this charter, say, if the state makes allows NERC to change its election, elections should be held in even numbered years instead of the current language, which says every four years since '19
Carl Weisbrod
0:46:37
So just a simple answer to my question is you're recommending simply a generic change to even years and leaving exactly what happens after that
Sharon Greenberger
0:46:49
The how?
Carl Weisbrod
0:46:50
State constitutional process.
0:46:51
Yeah.
0:46:51
And Okay.
Ben Weinberg
0:46:52
And and there could yeah.
0:46:54
I I would just say we we could develop it further.
0:46:57
I I think there are ways to develop the the mechanism for transition in the charter process.
0:47:04
You could you could you could include the same language or, for example, the same mechanism that the state has in the in the city charter.
Carl Weisbrod
0:47:11
Well, we don't know what the state will do until the state does it.
0:47:15
Right.
Ben Weinberg
0:47:17
But you can develop that.
0:47:18
If the state if the if the constitution changes to require New York City to hold its election on even years, whatever you put on the charters in any case.
0:47:29
But if it does allow the city some leeway in developing its own election calendar, then that going to affect the transition mix.
0:47:37
Does that make sense?
Sharon Greenberger
0:47:40
It's a multistep process that requires state involvement as well.
Carl Weisbrod
0:47:48
Yes.