NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
In a surprising turn of events, a controversial New York state election bill that would have given Governor Kathy Hochul more power to decide when special elections can be held has been put on hold. Multiple reports have confirmed that the bill will not move forward, following the governor’s request to the Democrat-majority legislature.
According to sources, Governor Hochul asked the legislature to refrain from taking any action on the legislation, which could potentially delay the filling of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat once she is confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. The decision to halt the bill reportedly came after negotiations between Hochul and the Trump administration regarding the state-operated MTA’s “Congestion Pricing” tolling program in New York City.
State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie declared the bill a non-starter at a meeting, and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay confirmed that the legislation is no longer moving forward. Republican legislators and North Country residents pushed back against the bill, leading to its halt.
Critics of the bill argued that it was a ploy to keep Stefanik’s North Country congressional district without representation until November. The bill would have allowed Governor Hochul to postpone elections or combine them with upcoming general elections, purportedly as a cost-saving measure to increase voter turnout.
Despite the claims of cost-saving and voter participation, Republicans like State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt criticized the bill as a partisan move. Ortt pointed out that the legislation had provisions that could benefit Democrats in upcoming elections, including potentially securing a Senate seat in New York City.
Ortt also criticized Democrats for their opposition to President Donald Trump, suggesting that the bill was a way to undermine democracy and suppress voter representation. He emphasized that the bill would leave 800,000 people in Stefanik’s district without a voice in Congress until November, calling it a disgrace.
While Democrats defended the bill as a common-sense approach to save taxpayer dollars and improve voter turnout, Republicans like Assemblyman Chris Tague highlighted the hypocrisy of Governor Hochul supporting the legislation. Tague pointed out that Hochul’s political career began through a special election using the same laws that Democrats were seeking to change.
In the midst of the political maneuvering, the fate of Stefanik’s seat and the representation of New York’s agricultural lands hangs in the balance. With the bill on hold for now, the debate over election reform in the state continues. It remains to be seen if the legislation will resurface in the future, as both parties remain vigilant against any potential revival of the controversial bill.
