Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Dec. 22 moving most local elections to even years, when major elections for president and Congressional seats are held. The hope is that more people will vote in these elections on these dates, instead of the normally low-turnout local municipal odd-year contests. Many Republicans, the New York State Association of Counties, and some Democratic elections commissioners opposed the move, and some worried the local elections would get less attention when paired with higher-profile votes. Hochul signed the bill just before the holiday break, where it would get little attention. She hailed it as a “significant step towards expanding access to the ballot box and promoting a more inclusive democracy.” Elections for mayor, district attorneys, judges, local school boards, and fire districts will remain on their regularly scheduled dates, but other votes will now move to even years. Hochul said she would support a constitutional amendment to align all elections to even years, since it would consolidate elections and save taxpayers money. Read more about this story in the Times Union.