Democratic lawmakers in Albany, New York, appear to be scheming to undermine democracy by delaying a special election for the soon-to-be-vacant seat of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R).
The Democrat-controlled state Assembly and Senate met virtually on Friday to discuss a bill that would amend election laws, allowing New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) to keep Stefanik’s seat empty until June or later.
‘Expose[s] Democrats’ hypocrisy when it comes to “protecting democracy.”‘
The discussion was held under the guise of consolidating elections into a single day to save taxpayers time and money. Nevertheless, the proposed election changes would likely be used to delay appointing a new representative.
President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations. She is expected to resign in the coming days, although her confirmation vote has not yet been scheduled.
A special election for the red district’s vacancy is likely to favor another Republican to replace Stefanik.
However, House Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-215 majority, and keeping the seat vacant for an extended period could present challenges in pushing through Trump’s agenda.
Current law requires Hochul to declare a special election within 10 days of Stefanik’s official resignation, and the election must be held 80 to 90 days after her resignation.
Democratic lawmakers could introduce the bill as early as Friday and hold a vote on Monday, sources told Gothamist.
Stefanik is expected to be the third Republican member of Congress to resign from her seat to take a position in Trump’s Cabinet. Special elections in Florida, scheduled for April, will replace the two lawmakers who resigned previously.
New York state Rep. Latrice Walker (D) stated, “We’re always looking for cost-effective measures by which to exact democracy.”
“And as a voting rights advocate, I’m always looking for fairness, justice, and equity,” she added.
If the bill is adopted, it remains unclear exactly how much additional time it will allow the governor to schedule a special election. However, one option being considered is combining special elections with regularly scheduled primary or general elections. If this option is enacted, Stefanik’s seat could remain vacant until late June.
A spokesperson for Hochul told Gothamist that the governor “believes it’s critical to increase voter turnout and reduce the cost of election administration and she would support legislation that achieves that goal.”
New York Rep. Nick Langworthy (R) told the New York Post, “This is corruption, the corruption of absolute power.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R) called the bill “an outrageous abuse of power,” noting that it “expose[s] Democrats’ hypocrisy when it comes to ‘protecting democracy.'”
“Kathy Hochul should make clear this will not happen,” Lawler declared.
Stefanik did not respond to requests for comment from Gothamist or the Post.
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