Sponsors (2)
The bill encourages and clarifies use of odd-year local-election schedules—potentially reducing ballot crowding and preserving funds for compliant states—but ties federal funding to those choices, risking significant funding losses, degraded election services, higher local costs, lower turnout in some areas, and legal/administrative disputes for states that do not adopt odd-year scheduling.
Local governments and voters gain clearer federal support for scheduling local-office elections in odd-numbered years, which can reduce ballot overcrowding and make it easier for voters to focus on local candidates and issues.
States that already permit odd-year local elections retain eligibility for federal election-administration funds from FY2027 onward, preserving federal support for their election operations.
The bill creates an incentive for states to standardize or adopt laws that allow odd-year local elections, which could clarify scheduling and reduce interjurisdictional confusion over local-election timing.
States that do not permit odd-year local elections risk losing federal HAVA and other federal election-administration funds beginning in FY2027, jeopardizing funding for many state and local election operations.
Local election officials and voters in states that lose federal funding could face degraded election services (less equipment, staff, training), harming administration quality and potentially increasing election errors or delays.
If jurisdictions shift local races to odd-numbered years, voters may experience lower turnout compared with even-year federal-election cycles, reducing participation and representation in local races.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Conditions federal election-administration funds on state laws permitting local governments to hold local-office elections in odd-numbered years, effective FY2027.
Introduced February 21, 2025 by Andrew R. Garbarino · Last progress February 21, 2025
Conditions federal election funding on state laws that allow local governments to hold local-office elections in odd-numbered years. Beginning in fiscal year 2027, any state that lacks such a law would be barred from receiving Federal funds under HAVA or any other Act to administer elections for Federal, State, or local office. The bill also records congressional findings that odd-year local elections improve voter focus on local issues and states a sense of Congress that local units should have authority to hold elections in odd-numbered years. It adds a conforming table-of-contents entry and takes effect starting FY2027 and thereafter.