Oct. 20, 2026

To the Editor:

I appreciate Mayor Marvin’s thoughtful response regarding the timing of Village elections. But her 10/15 column (“From the Mayor: Reasons to Keep Local Elections in March” ) leaves unanswered the most important question: Why should Bronxville continue an election system in which, in four of the last six March elections, fewer than 10% of registered voters participated? 

Relatedly, I have difficulty reconciling the Mayor's appeal to "localism" with her opposition to this local ballot initiative. What could be more consistent with local self-government than Bronxville residents deciding for themselves when they want to elect their Village government?

The Mayor acknowledges that substantially more Bronxville residents vote in November but says she does not see the connection between greater participation and a stronger Village. That is where we respectfully disagree. In a democracy, broader participation is something to encourage, not discount.

The Mayor points to Canada as a model for holding local and national elections separately. But consider the numbers. In Ontario's 2022 municipal elections, average turnout was 32.9%—more than twice Bronxville's average March turnout of approximately 16%. Canada's 2025 federal election drew 69% turnout. The Canadian example therefore illustrates two things: separate local elections attract substantially fewer voters, and Bronxville's March turnout is extraordinarily low even by the Canadian municipal standard.

The Mayor also raises the legitimate concern that some November voters will skip the Village races. Of course some will. But the relevant question is whether more Bronxville residents will vote for Mayor and Trustees in November than do so in March, when turnout has repeatedly fallen below 10%. The answer seems clear.

Perhaps the most important sentence in the Mayor's column is this: "I appreciate that more voters come out in November, but I don't see the connect that more voters by definition increases the strength of the Village."  I beg to differ. If our election system in March routinely produces participation rates below 10%,  that is no reason to retain it.  Indeed, political scientists have found that low-turnout, off-cycle elections can give disproportionate influence to highly motivated and organized groups.

Nor am I persuaded by the Mayor's reference to attracting the "best and brightest." We can have excellent candidates and broad participation. The best candidates for Bronxville should be prepared to make their case to as many Bronxville voters as possible, rather than benefit from an election in which only a small fraction of the Village participates.

I agree wholeheartedly with Mayor Marvin that Bronxville residents should vote for the person, not simply the party. But surely we should also want more Bronxville residents to make that choice.

This isn't about nationalizing Village politics. It is about something much simpler: giving more of our neighbors a voice in choosing the people who govern our Village.

Bill Gaston