Politics
Rochester Board of Elections Updates Candidate Media Guidelines, Expanding Access for Local Voters
Rochester residents will encounter revised requirements for candidate forums and broadcasts ahead of the fall municipal contests.
How we reported this
The Rochester Board of Elections issued revised media access rules for the 2026 municipal elections that require all certified candidates for mayor and city council to appear in at least two publicly televised forums before the September primary.
The changes take effect for races covering the nine city council districts and the mayoral contest, with forums scheduled at locations including the downtown library branch and the community center on North Clinton Avenue.
Local Voices on Coverage Practices
Policy analysts at the Center for Community Studies note that the guidelines direct local television and radio outlets to allocate equal airtime slots to every qualifying candidate rather than selecting participants based on polling numbers. Community advocates in the Beechwood neighborhood point out that residents without cable subscriptions can view the events through the city's free streaming portal on its website.
One example involves the open seat in the northeast district, where three candidates have already filed petitions. The rules state that each must receive a minimum 30-minute segment on the public access channel during prime evening hours in August.
Records from the Monroe County Board of Elections show 47,312 registered voters participated in the last comparable citywide primary. The updated guidelines project similar turnout figures if the new broadcast requirements increase exposure in the 14605 and 14609 zip codes.
City staff will begin accepting forum scheduling requests on July 15, with the first required events set to occur by August 20. The Board of Elections will publish the full schedule on its website once all filings close on July 25.