How Con-Con reshaped the election

The push to stop a state constitutional convention upended voter turnout in November.

Typically, more voters cast ballots in the top-of-ballot race than any other contest on the ballot. In November, that would have been the county executive race in Nassau and the district attorney race in Suffolk. Propositions usually come in dead last for attention.

Analysis of Long Island’s election results, however, shows that 6,111 more votes were cast on proposition 1 than in the county executive and district attorney races combined. That suggests that unions, environmentalists, the Conservative Party and other interest groups fighting the constitutional convention weren’t just successful in reminding voters to flip the ballot — they were able to draw Long Islanders to the polls exclusively to vote against the convention.

This map shows where the back-of-ballot vote was strongest compared with the top-of-ballot race. A negative vote margin means more votes were cast in the constitutional convention race. A positive vote margin means more votes were cast in the top of ballot race.

More people cast votes on the con-con question than the top-of-ballot race in nearly every Suffolk County election district. In Nassau, the county executive race was a stronger draw, especially on the North Shore. But in Bellmore, Merrick and the southern part of Oyster Bay, more votes were cast on con-con than in the county executive race.