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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric Budd, Co-founder of People for Voter Turnout, on the benefits of even-year municipal elections
0:48:20
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3 min
Eric Budd, Co-founder of People for Voter Turnout from Boulder, Colorado, testifies in support of moving municipal elections to even-numbered years.
He shares his experience leading a successful campaign in Boulder to align local elections with state and federal elections, emphasizing that this is the single most effective way to increase voter turnout and ensure more equitable representation, particularly for marginalized demographics whose voices are often diminished in off-cycle elections. Budd also notes that off-cycle elections tend to overrepresent homeowners, which can negatively affect housing policy.
- Moving municipal elections to align with state/federal elections is the most effective way to boost voter turnout.
- Off-cycle elections disproportionately reduce turnout among people of color, young people, students, and renters.
- Such elections tend to overrepresent homeowners, potentially impacting housing policy decisions.
- Longer ballots in on-cycle elections generally benefit turnout, and the increase in overall voters outweighs marginal increases in down-ballot drop-off.
Eric Budd
0:48:20
Thank you very much.
0:48:22
My name is Eric Budd.
0:48:24
I live in Boulder, Colorado.
0:48:26
I'm a cofounder of two nonprofit organizations here, People for Voter Voter Turnout and Bedrooms are for People.
0:48:35
And the work in these organizations that I've done is really at the intersection of municipal voter representation and housing.
0:48:44
So I'm I'm here to talk about, election timing as well.
0:48:48
So, our organizations have helped lead on research and campaigning to move Boulder's municipal elections to November of even years, like you all are proposing here, aligned with the state and federal elections.
0:49:02
That measure passed in Boulder in 2022 and will be fully implemented in 2026.
0:49:09
I believe that every city should move their elections to align with the state and federal elections because that's when the highest number of people are voting, particularly in the presidential years.
0:49:20
Our democratic processes and and representation really work best when everyone is able to vote and participate in these elections equally, and moving the election timing is the single most effective way to increase voter turnout.
0:49:35
The other most important aspect in addressing the election timing is not just how many people are represented in these elections, but but who is represented.
0:49:47
Off cycle municipal elections like New York City's greatly reduced turnout among people of color, young people, students, renters, and other marginalized demographics.
0:49:58
Ultimately, when these voices aren't heard in in our elections, their input is also lessened when it comes to implementing policy.
0:50:06
It's important to understand that off cycle election timing leads to a systemic reduction in voter participation that is not equitable across the city.
0:50:16
One of the policies that tends to be most negatively affected is housing, which I know you all are concerned with as a body.
0:50:22
All of our data and research has shown that off cycle election elections most prominently over overrepresent homeowners, particularly those in single family homes who are older, wealthier, and housing secure, and this has a significant effect on the seriousness that cities in their efforts in their efforts to address the housing crisis.
0:50:45
The benefit of even your elections are significant for a lot of reasons.
0:50:49
I do wanna address a common concern that's already been raised in this meeting that ballots will be a longer longer and elections more crowded.
0:50:57
The two main things to consider here are that longer ballots typically are a benefit turnout as there are more issues that people want to weigh in on and draw them to actually cast a ballot.
0:51:09
While while down ballot drop off in voting is always concerned, the increase in the total number of people turning in ballots and voting in on cycle elections by far outweighs, the marginal increases in down ballot drop off from people not finishing their entire ballot.
0:51:29
So I want to thank you for your consideration of this issue, for the New York charter, charter committee, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
0:51:37
Thank you.