Change Buffalo PAC Committee Report | October 17, 2026
A nonpartisan explainer. This report describes each proposal and how its subject relates to themes on our website. It does not recommend a vote on any proposal. Read the full official text and decide for yourself.
The Situation
Buffalo voters will see 11 proposed amendments to the City Charter on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The City posts the final ballot language on its Ballot Proposals page. The summaries below are drawn from the ballot text and abstracts compiled in VOICE Buffalo’s 2026 General Election Guide. In every case, a “yes” vote adopts the change and a “no” vote leaves the Charter as it is.
Key dates (VOICE Buffalo):
- October 24: Voter registration forms must be received by the Board of Elections; absentee/early mail ballot requests by mail or online must also be received by this date.
- October 24 to November 1: Early voting at any Erie County early voting site. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 24-25 and October 31-November 1, and noon to 9 p.m. October 26-30.
- November 3: Election Day, polls open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at your assigned polling place.
Elections, Succession and Acting Officials
- Proposal 1: Acting Public Officials. Clarifies that anyone serving as Mayor, Comptroller, Council Member, Council President or President Pro Tempore in an acting capacity has all the powers and duties of the permanent office.
- Proposal 3: Filling the Council President’s Seat. Lets the Common Council temporarily fill the district seat of a Council President who becomes Acting Mayor. The abstract notes that after Mayor Byron Brown resigned in 2024, the South District was left without a representative for over a year.
- Proposal 5: Mayoral Succession. Clarifies that if the office of Mayor becomes vacant, the Council President becomes Acting Mayor, and the district seat becomes temporarily vacant and can be filled by the Council.
- Proposal 9: Election Reforms Task Force. Creates a task force to study election reforms for Mayor, Comptroller, Council and City Court Judge, including ranked-choice voting and open primaries, which the 2025 Charter Revision Commission discussed, and to make recommendations for possible local law proposals at the November 2028 general election.
How these relate to our themes: Our Citizen Power page discusses election reform, and our reform pages describe proposals on ranked-choice voting and even-year city elections. Proposals 1, 3 and 5 address continuity of representation and clear lines of authority.
Charter Review, Boards and Task Forces
- Proposal 2: Charter Revision Commissions Every Ten Years. Requires the Common Council to establish a commission to review the Charter at least once every ten years. The abstract notes the Charter has been reviewed by such a commission only twice since 1999.
- Proposal 4: Holdover Terms and Inactive Boards. Limits board members to serving no more than 60 days past the end of their terms and suspends dormant boards until the Council reviews whether they are needed.
- Proposal 6: Boards Website and Training. Requires a public website with information on City boards, including how to apply for vacancies, plus orientation and training for new board members.
- Proposal 7: Temporary Task Forces. Lets the Mayor and Council appoint temporary task forces, for terms of up to two years, to advise on City administration, safety or welfare.
How these relate to our themes: Our agenda emphasizes open, accessible government and ways for residents to serve, including our Civic Leadership Program. Our reform pages also propose charter-level changes such as neighborhood councils.
Budget Process
- Proposal 8: Budget Adoption Procedures. Requires the Mayor to give the proposed budget to the Comptroller before submitting it to the Council. If the Comptroller recommends changes to revenue or spending estimates, the Council could lower those estimates by a two-thirds vote, or raise a spending estimate by a majority vote.
How this relates to our themes: Our City agenda and the Fiscal Responsibility Charter Amendment we propose focus on realistic budgets and multi-year planning.
Police Oversight and Human Rights
- Proposal 10: Civilian Police Advisory Commission. Creates, effective February 1, 2027, a commission of city residents to advise City departments on policing policies, with goals of greater transparency and reporting and better resident-police relations.
- Proposal 11: Commission on Human Rights. Replaces the current Commission on Citizens’ Rights and Community Relations with a Commission on Human Rights that has expanded powers, including making recommendations to the Mayor, Council, City departments and the community on human rights protections.
How these relate to our themes: Both address resident participation and public reporting, themes on our Citizen Power page.
What It Means for the Change Buffalo Agenda
Taken together, these proposals are a broad set of changes to Buffalo’s governing rules. They touch several themes central to our Turnaround Agenda: clear accountability, transparent budgeting, open and accessible boards, and how elections work. Whatever voters decide, the result will shape how the city governs itself. The best outcome for Buffalo is a high-turnout, well-informed vote.
What Members Can Do
- Check your registration at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov. Registration forms must be received by October 24.
- Read the full text of all 11 proposals on the City’s Ballot Proposals page before you vote.
- Make a plan to vote early (October 24 to November 1) or on Election Day, November 3. For polling places and absentee questions, contact the Erie County Board of Elections, 134 West Eagle Street, Buffalo, (716) 858-8891.
- Host a ballot conversation. Neighborhood Captains can help neighbors find and read the official text. Sign up through our Get Involved page or contact us.
