Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens and funds odd‑year local election scheduling—potentially improving focus on local issues—but raises risks of lower turnout, higher local costs, and loss or politicization of federal election funds for states that do not adopt odd‑year schedules.
Local governments in States that authorize odd‑year local elections retain explicit congressional support and continued access to HAVA and other federal election‑administration funds beginning FY2027, helping fund local election administration.
Voters in jurisdictions holding odd‑year local elections face less crowded ballots, making it easier to focus on local candidates and issues, which can improve local accountability.
States that already permit odd‑year local elections avoid federal funding cuts, reducing immediate disruption to election administration and services for voters.
Voters in jurisdictions that shift to or hold odd‑year local elections are likely to experience lower turnout compared with concurrent even‑year federal elections, reducing participation and local representation.
Residents in States without laws permitting odd‑year local elections risk losing federal HAVA and election‑administration funding, which could reduce polling access, increase wait times, and degrade election services.
Municipalities may incur increased administrative and financial costs running separate odd‑year local election cycles (or to change compliance), potentially forcing higher local taxes or cuts to other local services.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Conditions federal election-administration funding on states having a law that permits local governments to hold local-office elections in odd-numbered years, starting FY2027.
Introduced February 21, 2025 by Andrew R. Garbarino · Last progress February 21, 2025
Prohibits federal election-administration funds from being provided to any State that does not have a law allowing units of local government to hold local-office elections in odd-numbered years. The restriction on payments under the Help America Vote Act and other federal election-administration funding would take effect beginning in fiscal year 2027. The bill also states congressional findings that holding local elections in odd-numbered years improves attention to local candidates and avoids ballot crowding, and expresses the sense of Congress that local governments should have authority to hold odd-year local elections.