Fluvanna County Commissioner of Revenue Resigns, Special Election Scheduled

A Writ of Election has been submitted for the Commission of Revenue in Fluvanna County, Virginia, following the resignation of Andrew M. Sheridan. The seat will be filled through a Special Election on November 4, 2025. Interested candidates can obtain instructions and forms online via the Virginia Department of Elections website. The deadline for submitting required forms is August 15, 2025.

The 2025 New York City Charter Revision Commission has unveiled a series of proposals aimed at addressing the city's housing crisis and enhancing civic participation. The interim report, released on July 2, 2025, includes five potential ballot measures that target land use reforms to facilitate affordable housing and streamline local elections.

The Commission, chaired by Richard R. Buery, Jr., has proposed a "Fast Track Affordable Housing" process that would expedite the approval of publicly financed affordable housing projects. This initiative would grant the Board of Standards and Appeals new authority to streamline zoning relief for qualifying projects and reduce review times in community districts with the least affordable housing since 2027. The proposal builds on the City Council's 2023 Fair Housing Framework to address segregation, displacement, and gentrification [1].

Another key proposal is the "Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP)" for smaller projects. This measure would simplify approvals for modest increases in housing, land acquisition, and disposition for affordable housing and climate resiliency projects, aiming to overcome the current ULURP process's slowness and costliness.

A new "New ULURP Appeals Board" is also proposed, which would replace the mayor's veto over City Council land use actions. This board, composed of the borough president, City Council speaker, and mayor, could override Council decisions on certain land use matters if two out of three agree. The goal is to balance local voices with borough-wide and citywide needs, addressing barriers created by "member deference."

The Commission has also proposed modernizing the City Map, currently existing as over 8,000 paper maps split across boroughs. By consolidating and digitizing the map, the city could reduce approval timelines for housing and infrastructure projects, enabling faster and more coordinated reviews.

Additionally, the Commission recommends moving municipal elections to even-numbered years to align with presidential and statewide contests. This change is expected to improve voter turnout, which is typically more than double in even years compared to odd years, and make elections more representative. This proposal would require amending the New York State Constitution.

The Commission is also seeking public input on the idea of open primaries for city elections. In this system, all voters and candidates would participate in a single primary with party labels on the ballot. The top two finishers, using ranked-choice voting, would move on to the general election. The Commission has spent six months reviewing the proposal with election law experts and is weighing whether to send it to voters.

New Yorkers are invited to share their thoughts at a public hearing set for July 7 or by submitting written testimony before July 15. The Commission will vote on which questions make the ballot at its July 21 meeting.

References:
[1] https://www.bkreader.com/policy-government/nyc-charter-commission-unveils-housing-and-election-reform-proposals-10894910