New York Hometown To Launch Historic New Way To Vote

It's a decision that many say has big implications for how elections are run here in the Hudson Valley.

The Town of Newburgh has settled a federal voting rights lawsuit.

Town Of Newburgh to Use Ranked Choice Voting

A major legal challenge over ranked choice voting in Newburgh has been settled.

The Town of Newburgh has agreed to settle a Voting Rights Act lawsuit by overhauling how it elects its Town Board, and will now adopt ranked-choice voting starting in 2027.

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The lawsuit, first filed in 2024 by town residents, argued Newburgh’s at-large election system illegally diluted the voting power of minority Black and Hispanic residents. Under that system, all five Town Board members were elected townwide, with the top vote-getters winning seats, instead of using districts.

How Voting Will Work

Instead of the top five vote-getters automatically winning, ballots will now be counted in rounds. In each round, officials will eliminate the lowest candidates and redistribute votes until all five seats are filled.

Voters will not be required to rank every candidate on the ballot and can still select just one.

However, leaving other rankings blank effectively means voting for only one of the five available seats, which could influence how final results are calculated under the new system.

First Place In New York, Outside New York City, To Go With Ranked Choice

This move makes the Town of Newburgh just the second municipality in New York State to use ranked-choice voting.

New York City began using the system in 2021, after voters approved a charter amendment in 2019.

However, there is a key difference:

New York City only uses ranked-choice voting in primary and special elections, while Newburgh will use it in General Elections for Town Board seats.

What Town Of Newburgh Residents and Leaders Are Saying

Supporters say it gives Black and Hispanic voters a better shot at representation. Attorneys representing the residents say the new ranked-choice system will increase the likelihood that those communities can gain representation on the board.

Town leaders say it keeps board members representing the entire town, just with a new way of counting the votes.

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