ALBANY — Judges from New York’s top court on Monday challenged Republicans’ claims that a new law moving local elections to even-numbered years was unconstitutional.

The seven judges on the State Court of Appeals repeatedly tested the arguments by lawyers representing GOP officials that control of local elections was embedded in the state constitution and could be changed only by statewide referendum, that voter turnout wasn’t a legitimate state interest and that the State Legislature had no authority to change the timing of local elections.

And beyond the detailed and highly specific legalistic arguments, judges and attorneys wrestled over whether combining local elections with statewide and national contests would be just too much for voters to handle.

"Is your contention that it’s ju

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