Dutchess joined lawsuit by Republican officials
An upstate judge struck down a state law that moved most county and town elections to even-numbered years to coincide with votes for president and governor, handing a victory to Republicans in Dutchess County and other municipalities.
Judge Gerard Neri of the Onondaga County Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 8 that the legislation approved by the Democratic-led Legislature and enacted by Gov. Kathy Hochul in December violates the rights of local governments to set their own terms of office under the state Constitution.
Under the law, officials in office on Jan. 1, 2025, would complete their full terms, but those elected after Jan. 1, 2025, would have their terms shortened.
Dutchess legislators, who serve two-year terms and were last elected in November, would have run for re-election in 2025, with the winners only serving until 2026. The next election for Dutchess County executive, a four-year position, would have occurred as scheduled, in 2027, before switching to 2030.
The Republican-led Dutchess County Legislature voted in April to spend $100,000 to join the lawsuit, which names the Legislature and County Executive Sue Serino as plaintiffs.
Will Truitt, who chairs the Dutchess Legislature, said in a Facebook post that the ruling deemed that “local elections are of local concern, not of state concern,” and prevents them from “being tossed to the back of presidential and gubernatorial ballots,” where they would have been “completely disregarded.”
The attorney general’s office was reviewing the decision. State Sen. James Skoufis, a sponsor of the bill, predicted the decision would be overturned on appeal.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
