May-November advance: Why moving the timing of an election matters

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council voted unanimously to move city elections from May to November. It might sound like a small procedural change, but it’s a big deal. Dallas has some of the lowest voter turnout in local elections of any large city in the country — typically 29th or 30th out of 30 — and city leaders hope this shift will help change that.

Like many cities, Dallas has long held its local elections “off cycle,” in May of odd-numbered years, when attention to voting typically ebbs. Research shows those elections draw a smaller, older, wealthier slice of the electorate. Moving them to November — alongside state constitutional amendments the Legislature might propose — brings in a broader cross-section of voters and makes the results more representative. It also gives voters and election officials one fewer election date to track.

And by combining its elections with the November contests, Dallas can tap into the existing election infrastructure — more polling places, longer hours, experienced poll workers — instead of running a separate, smaller, and costlier operation every two years. The city expects to save about half a million dollars every other year.

This change has been years in the making. Local activist David de la Fuente has pushed for it since 2021, teaming up with Councilmember Chad West, who said David “has been like a dog on a bone for years — making it a data-driven and not emotional decision.” When the final vote came this week, even longtime skeptics backed the measure, persuaded by overwhelming public support. In November 2024, 63% of Dallas voters approved the change via a ballot measure, and the Texas Legislature gave the city permission earlier this year. Wednesday’s vote from the nonpartisan council was the final step.





https://www.votebeat.org/2025/11/17/dallas-city-council-moves-elections-to-november/