Since the 1990s, voter turnout for local elections in New York City has decreased every election cycle, with the 2021 election seeing record-low turnout. This is a troubling trend given the profound impact our local government has on our day to day lives. From schools to parks to older adult services to public safety and sanitation, elected officials at the local level are making decisions that shape our communities.

One of the biggest reasons we see low rates of voter participation in local elections is because they are held “off cycle,” in odd-numbered years. Meanwhile, presidential and gubernatorial elections (along with races for other federal and state offices) are held “on cycle” in even-numbered years. Since 2001, New York City’s mayoral elections have averaged a turnout of less than 30%, lagging far behind turnout for gubernatorial (35.6%) and presidential elections (60.8%).