Campaign signs throughout the region have come down in the weeks following last month’s municipal elections, as the race for town supervisor has concluded. Those particular signs have normally appeared in odd-numbered years, but the State of New York now has other plans.

A bill signed into law last week by Gov. Kathy Hochul will shift many elections to even-numbered years.

Under the new law elections for county executive, county legislature and town offices would be moved from odd years to even years, putting them on the same ballots as presidential races and contests for Congress and state legislature. It would start to take effect in 2025.

Odd year elections will continue as normal through 2025. Officials elected prior to January 1, 2025 will complete their full terms. If the elected official’s term ends in an odd year after January 1, 2025, then the term of the town or county official elected in that odd year election will end as if the official had been elected in the previous even year election. Town of Newburgh Supervisor Gil Piaquadio, for example, was re-elected in November 2023 and would be up for re-election in November of 2025.

Under the new law, the 2025 election for Newburgh Town Supervisor will be held as scheduled, but the Supervisor’s term would be for one year and will be up for election in 2026.

The premise, ostensibly, is that voter turnout in odd-year elections is often small and that having a town or county race coincide with a presidential election would produce a greater turnout. Supporters of the law include State Senator James Skoufis who called it “a transformative win for voter participation and equity” on social media. He also predicted it would save taxpayers money.

Others, like Piaquadio who ran unopposed in the recent election, are less enamored with the idea.

‘I feel local elections will be overshadowed by the large media sensationalism of Presidential, Congress and State campaigns which would make it difficult for the local candidates’ intentions and philosophy to reach the voter,’ he wrote. “In addition, there will be so many candidates for the voter to consider, the voter may well drop off and never reach the local candidates at the end of the ballot.”

He has a point. Sharing the stage with state and national candidates will shift the focus away from local issues, and candidates for local offices may have a harder time spreading their message to the voters.

And how much money is saved by the law is questionable. City of Newburgh residents will still choose their mayor, among other political races, on odd-numbered years. Also unaffected are village (March) and school board (May) elections where the voter turnout can often be described as abysmal.

There may be far too many candidates who turn out for a presidential election because they are enamored with - or strongly opposed to- a particular candidate. While we may applaud that surge in voter interest, we have to wonder if compelling those voter to study the national candidates will also foster interest in local issues.