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Bill

A 11588

Requires village elections on the same date as general elections take place on even numbered years

2025 Regular Session

The bill requires village elections to be aligned with even-year general elections, with options to switch to county administration and to adopt biennial or even-year schedules.

REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
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Bill Summary · A 11588

Summary of Bill A.11588 (2025-2026) – Requires village elections on the same date as general elections in even-numbered years

Purpose and intent

  • To align village elections with state and federal general election dates by requiring village elections to be held on the same day as the general election in even-numbered years, where applicable.
  • Provide mechanisms for villages to switch election dates and to consolidate local elections under county-level administration when certain conditions are met.
  • Establish procedures to maintain continuity of political calendars and ensure orderly transition to the new timing.

Key provisions and changes

1) General village elections timing (Election Law, §15-104)
- The default rule: The general village election is held on the third Tuesday in March, except for villages that currently elect on a different date or have propositions to elect on a different date.
- Villages that hold elections on the day of the November general election may do so in even-numbered years as part of the general election.
- Transition provision for years when March 17 falls on the third Tuesday: villages can move the election to March 18 via a board resolution, without altering the overall calendar anchored to the third Tuesday of March.
- A village may adopt a resolution to have village elections conducted by the county board of elections, including primary elections (if any), provided:
- The village is wholly contained within a single county.
- A local referendum, if requested, approves the change.
- The resolution takes effect for elections more than six months after adoption; for elections on the day of the general election in even-numbered years, the change takes effect for elections with primaries held more than six months after adoption.
- Election outcomes: to be elected, candidates must prevail by receiving the most votes; ties trigger a runoff per existing election law unless all tied candidates waive runoff.

2) Village term structure and biennial elections (Village Law, §3-302)
- Village boards may adopt by local law or resolution to hold general village elections biennially in odd or even-numbered years, subject to permissive referendum.
- If a village elects on the day of the general election in even-numbered years, that election must occur on even-numbered years.
- Any such resolution/local law cannot become effective within 30 days of a general village election.

3) Timing restrictions for other elections (Village Law, §9-910)
- No special election may be held in March, October, or November.

4) Reincorporation propositions (Village Law, §16-1600)
- Propositions to reincorporate a village cannot be submitted in February, March, October, or November.

5) Term completion for elected village officials (Miscellaneous/Transitional)
- Officials who are serving as of January 1 following the law’s enactment will complete their full term as established by law.
- If completing that term would create an odd-numbered-year election, the term ends as if the official were elected in the previous even-numbered general election.

6) Effective date and implementation
- The act takes effect on January 1 of the year after it becomes law.
- Immediate authority to implement necessary rules and regulations for the act’s implementation is provided, with changes allowed to be made before the effective date.

Who would be affected

  • Village governments and boards of trustees: potential to change election timing to align with even-numbered-year general elections; ability to adopt resolutions to have county conduct village elections and, in some cases, to consolidate with the general election.
  • Voters in villages: potential changes in when local elections occur; possible runoff processes in case of ties.
  • County boards of elections: potential increased role in administering village elections under certain resolutions.
  • Prospective candidates for village offices: changes in filing timelines and election calendars; potential need to adjust campaign planning to new biennial cycles or even-year schedules.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Optional adoption: villages may adopt changes through resolutions or local laws, subject to permissive referendum and, in single-county villages, referendum approval if requesting county-wide administration.
  • Transition timing: changes take effect more than six months after adoption; for even-year general-election alignment, effectiveness is tied to the timing of primaries occurring more than six months after adoption.
  • Sequencing: multiple provisions coordinate election timing, runoff procedures, and term lengths to avoid conflicts with existing election calendars.

Notes

  • This summary focuses on substantive provisions and their practical impact on village elections and administration.
  • The bill is currently referred to the Assembly Committee on Election Law (as of the provided action history).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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