New York lawmakers are discussing a bill that would give Gov. Kathy Hochul more time to set dates for special elections, which could leave Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s red North Country seat empty until the summer.
Democrats who control the state Assembly and Senate may introduce the bill as soon as Friday and vote on it Monday, multiple officials familiar with the talks told Gothamist. The discussions were first reported by the Capitol Pressroom.
If enacted, the proposal would allow New York’s Democratic governor to frustrate national Republicans, who currently control the House of Representatives by a margin of 218 to 215. President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations, setting her up to become the third GOP congressmember to resign her seat if confirmed by the Senate. She appeared at a confirmation hearing last week, but her confirmation vote has not yet been scheduled.
Two other GOP congressmembers from Florida resigned their House seats after Trump named them to his cabinet, leaving their posts vacant until special elections scheduled for April 1 in the Sunshine State. If Stefanik is confirmed and steps down, too, the pending New York legislative maneuver could prolong the vacancy of her seat, which Republicans are favored to win.
Representatives for Stefanik did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Assemblymember Latrice Walker, a Brooklyn Democrat who chairs the chamber’s elections committee, confirmed state lawmakers were considering a change but said no legislation has been finalized.
“We’re always looking for cost-effective measures by which to exact democracy,” she said. “And as a voting rights advocate, I’m always looking for fairness, justice and equity.”
Democrats who dominate the Assembly held a virtual discussion on the topic on Friday afternoon, the officials said. Several officials added that the change would save money and voters’ time by consolidating elections on a single day.
State law currently requires the governor to proclaim a special election within 10 days after an office becomes vacant. Among other changes, the bill under consideration would increase that to 15 days, the officials said.
Under current law, the special election must then occur between 70 to 80 days after the governor’s proclamation for a seat in Congress and between 40 and 50 days for a seat in the state Senate or Assembly, unless the lawmaker was in the final months of their term. Officials familiar with the talks said the proposal would increase that length of time but said the details of exactly how much were still being worked out.
One option on the table would allow the governor to combine a special election with normally scheduled primary elections in late June, or with the general election in early November.
A spokesperson for Hochul said she has supported other measures to increase voting rights, and “believes it’s critical to increase voter turnout and reduce the cost of election administration and she would support legislation that achieves that goal.”