State Republicans say stalled Democrat election bill an attempt to ‘rig the system’ – Times Union

ALBANY State Republican Party leadership on Tuesday cast an already stalled proposal by Democrats to align local elections with the presidential and gubernatorial cycles as not an attempt to increase voter turnout, but rather to "rig the system" and "illegally seize power."

The state of the final week of the legislative session for Democrats remain issues like access to firearms and reproductive health care. Republican leaders turned out in full force outside the state Capitol on Tuesday to knock down a bill they described as having a "chilling effect" on the shape of local elections and, consequently, could lead to fewer Republicans holding local office.

"They are once again on a mission to illegally seize power and offend our entire election system in this great state," state GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said. Democrats, he said, are "focused on rigging the system to put themselves into permanent power at every local government."

The Republicans went forward with their news conference even as it was reported that the legislation had stalled. Democrats said it requires public hearings before any action would be taken.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. James Skoufis, D-Cornwall, and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, would require elections outside of New York City to be held on even years, which align with gubernatorial and presidential elections.

Turnout is exceptionally higher in even years, which draws high-profile statewide or nationwide races. Last year, 28 percent of active registered voters in New York cast a ballot compared to 70 percent in 2020 during the presidential cycle, according to state Board of Election data.

"This is a brazen, craven political power grab at its most naked form," state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said.

The proposal was filed in December but amended in recent days.

The New York State Association of Counties expressed concern about it, according to Langworthy, which led to Republican Party leading a publicity blitz to stop the legislation. A fundraising email from the state GOP asked people to contribute to the party to help "protect free and fair elections in New York."

Absent from the fundraising pitch and the speeches Tuesday were mention of a host of election reforms that Democrats have either already passed or expect to push through in the final days of session.

Senate Democrats have also passed legislation this month to create mandatory training for elections commissioners and making them full-time employees, in addition to reforming the New York City Board of Elections and establishing a poll worker training curriculum.

The Senate Majority said Tuesday it plans to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act this week, which the majority office described as the "most robust voter protections at any state level in the United States and provide legal recourse for denying or abridging any individuals right to vote."

"I am proud that New York is standing as a true bastion of voting rights despite the anti-democratic rollbacks being set forth by Republicans across the nation," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.

State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, when asked about whether he supports the Voting Rights Act and other Democrat-sponsored reforms, questioned the intent of the bill package given the current election laws on the books.

"I don't see the legitimate reason why we need to continue to push these," Ortt said. "I think it's about something else. I think it's about cementing a power base as opposed to actually making voting easy, which is very easy here in New York."

Ortt added: "We talk about voting integrity. They talk about voting suppression. They always say voting fraud is a myth. Show me the voting suppression. Show me where somebody who wants to vote cannot vote."

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, when asked about the Voting Rights Act, pointed attention back to the Democrat's bill on even year elections while noting, "we certainly are not against turnout and making voting easier."

"I'm not sure what they're proposing, but listen, we're open," Barclay said. "But one thing we want to make sure and why I get suspicious, very often they do it for political advantage versus really trying to help people get access to the polls."

State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, D-Brooklyn, who chairs the Senate Election Committee and sponsored the Voting Rights Act, said in a statement that, "while states across the country have worked overtime to restrict voting rights, the New York (legislation) will strengthen protections for all voters, especially those who have historically been disenfranchised."

The GOP news conference that was billed as an "election integrity rally" featured state leaders and local elected officials including Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, who is accused of misusing campaign funds and falsifying campaign finance filings in a pending indictment being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office.

McLaughlin called the dead legislation a "heat-seeking missile." He hinted at possible legal action by Republicans if the bill were to pass, saying that Democrats have "no right to supersede our charter."

Langworthy went a step further, saying if the bill were to pass and Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn't veto it, the party is ready to file legal action similar to the recent case they brought that overturned the political boundary maps drawn by Democrats in the Legislature.

"If she refuses to do so, let this be a warning, we will do everything in our power to stop this from becoming law," Langworthy said.

Langworthy also said he is concerned Democrats want races to focus on national issues that could benefit their candidates. Local races, although they have substantially lower turnout, should focus on issues closer to home, he said. In even year races, airtime is often filled with expensive advertisements from statewide and national candidates, pushing down-ballot issues off center stage.

When asked about how Republicans running in school board races focused on the national topic of "critical race theory," and how that factors into races focused on local issues, he said, "there's nothing more local than the curriculum your kids are fed at school."

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State Republicans say stalled Democrat election bill an attempt to 'rig the system' - Times Union