Long Island Republicans said it would be devastating to the suburbs if the years of local elections were changed to coincide with federal elections.
State Democrats are mulling the idea of moving local elections from odd numbered years to even numbered years. Democrats have fared better in recent years when more people turn out to vote. Sometimes an odd-numbered election year will have a tenth of the number of voters of a presidential election year.
Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said doing so would drown-out local issues in national and state politics.
“It is an attack against the suburbs. It is attack against the rural counties and towns of this state," Blakeman said. "We stand here united to say we are not going to take this lying down. Enough is enough.”
Even though Democrats control both houses in the state legislature, they have not yet said if they will try to push this bill before the end of the legislative session this week.
