Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow Gov. Kathy Hochul to delay special elections in New York, and therefore the anticipated race to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik in the 21st Congressional District if she is confirmed as UN ambassador.
Current law requires the governor to schedule a special election within 90 days of a declared congressional vacancy. A bill carried by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in their respective houses would provide the governor with the option to delay that to the general election.
The bill, and Stewart-Cousins herself, claim the move is meant to streamline election efficiency and increase voter turnout.
“Right now, New Yorkers are facing unprecedented challenges including the strain on our democracy and our high cost of living,” she said in a statement. "At a time when people need our government to work more efficiently, this legislation is a common-sense approach that saves taxpayer dollars while maximizing voter turnout. In this moment of national uncertainty, we must protect democratic participation while ensuring the government remains fiscally responsible. This legislation achieves both.”
This justification is written into the bill’s official language.
“The Legislature finds that New York's current system of filling federal and state elected office vacancies places undue financial and operational burdens on local boards of elections and exacerbates voter confusion and fatigue by asking voters to frequently participate in elections throughout the year, thus result ing in lower voter turnout and decreased participation in the electoral process,” the bill reads.
Keeping the 21st Congressional District vacant would benefit Democrats in making the already slim two-seat GOP U.S. House majority even thinner until the election takes place, and Republicans wasted no time calling out what they describe as a blatant power grab.
Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt blasted the move in a statement arguing the bill isn’t about “fairness, democracy or saving money” but power.
“The radical Democrats in Albany just dropped a corrupt, backroom disastrous bill on a Friday night because that’s what power-hungry politicians do when they’re trying to silence the people and rig the system in their favor,” he said. “This disgraceful move will deny over 750,000 New Yorkers their voice for months, all because Democrats are terrified of losing power and will do anything to stop President Trump from putting America first."
New York’s congressional Republicans went a step further, calling on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) investigation in a joint letter. They accused Hochul, Democrats in the legislature and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of conspiring to delay the election.
“Shame on Hakeem Jeffries and Kathy Hochul for conspiring to deny residents of New York’s 21st Congressional District representation,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) who is widely expected to challenge Hochul in 2026. “This blatantly corrupt power grab reeks of racketeering and internationally subverts the will of voters in the North Country.”
In a follow up statement, Mike Murphy, spokesperson for New York’s Senate Majority and Stewart-Cousins fired back.
“We are not going to be lectured to by a party that openly celebrated the release of violent felons that attempted to overthrow a presidential election and have opposed every single voting reform that increases voter participation,” he said. “The Republican Party has proven over and over again that they despise democracy in American values.”