Low Frequency on Special Elections

Small Number of Votes Likely to Carry Harlem Special Election

Gotham Gazette, 2.3.17

"It's twice as hard, if not more, to get people to vote in a special election," said Steven Romalewski, director of the Center for Urban Research's mapping service at CUNY Graduate Center. "People aren't used to voting in February." "The challenge with a special election," said Romalewski, "is that not only do candidates and supporters need to make the case for why people should vote for them, but they also have to cross the threshold of getting people to know that there is an election. During the general, you don't have that issue."