How would nonpartisan elections work?
Over the next few months, as the Commission studies nonpartisan elections and their potential impact on New York City, our attention will focus on several key areas. Nonpartisan elections across the nation and in New York City Non-partisan elections are not some untried scheme. Indeed, they are not even new to New York City. Since the Charter revision of 1989, a proposal that I made has been in effect. Special elections to fill a vacancy in the term of a City Council member have been conducted on a nonpartisan basis. Speaker Gifford Miller, Majority Leader Joel Rivera, and Minority Leader James Oddo were first elected to the Council in nonpartisan elections. And earlier this year, there was a spirited nonpartisan election for a vacant City Council seat in Bay Ridge. As the commission explores the design of nonpartisan elections, a number of variables will be considered. These include: which municipal offices should be covered; when should the elections be held; when should the new arra
