Ranked Choice Voting

At a glance

What: Local Law O of 2026, sponsored by Flynn (8th Ward), would amend the City Charter (new Section 207) to elect the Mayor, Chief City Auditor, Treasurer, Council President and Council members, in primary and general elections, by ranked choice voting.
Where it stands: Heard by the Law, Buildings and Code Enforcement Committee on September 29, 2026 with public comment, together with a petition for a single unified election and ranked choice voting. The minutes contain the text and memorandum but no record of discussion, comments or a vote. At the September 16 caucus Anane (Majority Whip) previewed Law Committee meetings on removing the primary and implementing ranked choice voting.
Next: Committee action, public hearing, filing with the Secretary of State and a referendum are required before it takes effect.

Voters rank up to five candidates; a majority of first-choice votes wins, otherwise last-place candidates are eliminated in rounds (with batch elimination of mathematically impossible candidates) until a winner remains.
The Albany County Board of Elections designs the ballot (grid layout, plain-language instructions) and must write hand-count rules; the campaign finance board runs voter education.
The Board of Elections must report an implementation plan by June 1, 2028; failure within 30 days creates a rebuttable presumption it is declining to implement. Applies to elections on or after January 1, 2029.
Knowing and willful violations are a misdemeanor: up to 1 year in jail, or a fine of $100 to $500, or both.
Supersedes parts of State Election Law under Municipal Home Rule Law. Supporting memorandum (July 1, 2026, from Legislative Director Bryan Jimenez to City Clerk Shaniqua Jackson): fiscal impact none; the method is used or will be used by 49 U.S. jurisdictions (Maine and Alaska statewide, 36 cities, 3 counties), and New York City uses it for primaries. Approved as to form July 10, 2026.

Local Law O and the unified election petition on the agenda; public comment period open; no discussion or vote recorded in the posted minutes.

Anane spoke on upcoming Law Committee meetings on removing the primary and implementing ranked choice voting.

2026-10-29 - Local Law O is held in committee on the 2026-11-02 - Common Council Caucus-Regular Meeting agenda.