Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 4, 2026Result: passed
(38) (22) (0) (3)
Senate bill · S5711 (2025-26)
Requires elections and terms of certain officials occur on even-numbered years except in the city of New York
PassedLatest action Jun 17, 2026
New York State Senate
Same as A5036, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Requires certain elections take place in even-numbered years for certain municipal and judicial officials except in the city of New York.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 22, 2026. About our data
Following needs an Agora account. You will sign in first, then come back to this page.
Your position on this bill
Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.
Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
To require certain elections to be held in even-numbered years.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Election Law · New York State Assembly
Also referred to Judiciary · New York State Assembly, Judiciary · New York State Senate.
The sponsor's argument
Why James Skoufis says this is needed
Currently, New York's municipalities are required to hold elections for local offices in odd-numbered years. Meanwhile, races for State and Federal offices are all held in even-numbered years. Even though local leaders have a significant impact on the well-being of our communities, many New Yorkers do not make it to the polls in off-years. Whether a voter experiences confusion about which offices are elected when, is exhausted by having to vote every year, or simply lacks awareness that their local offices are up for election, the result is clear: odd-year elections have low voter turnout. Studies have consistently shown that voter turnout is the highest on Election Day in November of even-num- bered years, when races for State and Federal offices are held. Syncing local elections with these state, federal, town, and most county offices will not only save taxpayers' dollars by reducing the burden of annual election administration, but it will also lead to greater participation in local elections, and therefore more representative municipal gover- nance. Chapter 741 of 2023 was a major first step in transitioning local elections to even-numbered years, requiring certain town and county elections to be held in even-numbered years. This constitutional amend- ment is the next logical step needed to continue consolidating our elections and ensure higher voter turnout.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Recorded votes
Full history
- Jun 17, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SECRETARY OF STATE
NY Senate
- Jun 5, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
- Jun 5, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
- Jun 5, 2026
Rules Report CAL.534
RULES REPORT CAL.534
NY Assembly
- Jun 5, 2026
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED BY S5711C
NY Assembly
Show full history (30 earlier events)Show less history
- Jun 4, 2026
In committee
COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
- Jun 4, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
- Jun 4, 2026
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Jun 4, 2026
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Assembly
- Jun 4, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
- Jun 4, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Senate
- Jun 4, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Assembly
- Jun 3, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Election Law
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly
- Jun 3, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Judiciary
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Jun 2, 2026
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Assembly
- Jun 2, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Senate
- Jun 2, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Assembly
- Jun 1, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Election Law
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly
- Jun 1, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Judiciary
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- May 27, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Assembly
- May 26, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Election Law
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly
- May 21, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Judiciary
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Feb 3, 2026
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Jan 30, 2026
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Assembly
- Jan 8, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Assembly
- Jan 8, 2026
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Senate
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Jun 9, 2025
In committee
COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
- Mar 24, 2025
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Mar 6, 2025
Referred to committee
OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Assembly
- Mar 4, 2025
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Senate
- Feb 28, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
- Feb 14, 2025
To Attorney-general for Opinion
TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
NY Assembly
- Feb 11, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly