Why did South Brooklyn and Staten Island vote against consolidating elections in New York City referendum?

[Ralph Yozzo]

I personally don't agree with this but this is what seems to have happened. 

In the November 2025 New York City general election, Proposal 6—which aimed to consolidate local municipal elections (Mayor, City Council, Borough Presidents) with high-turnout federal presidential election years—was defeated citywide, failing with 52.8% of voters casting "No" ballots.

The pushback against this amendment was strongest in Staten Island and South Brooklyn. The regional opposition from these communities was driven by a distinct combination of political strategy, concerns over local representation, and distrust of the ballot's origin.

1. Dilution of Local Issues ("Drowning out the Ticket")

A core argument that resonated heavily with South Brooklyn and Staten Island voters was that local neighborhood issues would be entirely swallowed up by the massive media storm, spending, and polarization of a presidential race.

Opponents argued that odd-year elections force candidates to focus directly on hyperlocal concerns—such as local property taxes, transit options, sanitation, and neighborhood zoning. Former State Senator and Charter Revision Commission member Diane Savino (who represented parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn) explicitly warned that presidential campaigns would "buy up all the air time" and completely drown out the local figures closest to their communities.

2. Partisan Strategy & Changing Electorates

The political math of aligning city elections with presidential years heavily favored the city's progressive and mainstream Democratic wings.

• The Turnout Discrepancy: Odd-year city elections typically draw a smaller, older, and more reliable base of habitual voters.
• The Even-Year Shift: Moving elections to presidential years brings out a younger, more transient, and overwhelmingly progressive citywide electorate.

Staten Island (the city's only reliably Republican-leaning borough) and South Brooklyn (which features a highly competitive, moderate-to-conservative bipartisan dynamic) recognized that a massive influx of presidential-year progressive voters would dilute their local voting power. Maintaining odd-year elections preserves a local electorate where moderate and conservative candidates remain highly competitive.

3. High-Profile Local Opposition

Unlike some of the more technical housing proposals on the 2025 ballot, Proposal 6 drew unified, vocal resistance from prominent political leadership in these specific regions:

• Bipartisan Local Pushback: Republican leaders like Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (who represents Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn) and State Senator Andrew Lanza aggressively campaigned against it. They were joined by moderate outer-borough Democrats, such as Assemblymember Jaime Williams from Southeast Brooklyn, creating a cross-party alliance urging voters to reject the change.
• The Working Families Party & Progressive Nuance: Interestingly, opposition wasn't entirely limited to the right. While many progressives supported consolidation for higher turnout, some local grass-roots organizers across various factions worried that shorter terms and complex transitional rules would disrupt local community organizing.

4. Pushback on the Charter Revision Process

Many outer-borough voters viewed the 2025 Charter Revision Commission—which placed the measure on the ballot—with deep skepticism. Critics framed the commission's proposals as an overreach by city hall to alter the city's foundational rules, leading to a strong "No" block vote on the more contentious structural proposals like Proposal 6.

Summary of the Vote

Argument for "Yes" (Mainly Manhattan/Bronx/Central BK)	Argument for "No" (Mainly Staten Island/South Brooklyn)
Turnout: Local democracy should reflect the broader, more diverse presidential-year electorate.	Focus: Keeps municipal issues front and center without federal distraction.
Cost Savings: Eliminating off-year cycles saves tens of millions in administrative election costs.	Local Power: Preserves the voice of dedicated, consistent local voters against citywide partisan waves.

By voting "No," South Brooklyn and Staten Island successfully maintained the traditional odd-year cycle, ensuring that New York City's local elections remain isolated from federal political trends.