Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the special election for New York’s vacant 27th congressional seat has been moved from April 28 to June 23. Also being moved is the state’s presidential primary.
The election surprise came at the governor’s coronavirus briefing on Satuday.
“Do you know?” Governor Cuomo asked Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, seated to his left.
“We’re going to move all the elections to June,” DeRosa responded.
DeRosa confirmed to the Governor that indeed, New York’s only vacant congressional seat will not be decided until June 23 as well. Erie County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Jeremy Zellner said under the circumstances, it’s a decision that had to be made.
“We feel happy that he’s moving the election,” said Zellner. “We want to be safe, we know he wants us to be safe, that is what his top priority. And we’re taking things day by day and week by week, and I think he figured that today was the day he had to make that decision, and I’m glad he did.”
Before Governor Cuomo’s announcement, the Erie County Board of Elections had already changed its absentee ballot voting rules to allow individuals to mail in their votes if they had concerns for their health. Zellner said that will continue to the new June election date, but uncertainty in the whole process is still there as COVID-19 continues to impact New York.
“Who knows what is going to happen between now and June 23. We’ve got to make sure that our voters are safe, our inspectors are safe, and our staff is safe; that’s got to be our number one priority,” said Zellner. “And having any kind of election is going to put some people in jeopardy.”
The Democratic National Committee had earlier warned states that postponing primary elections past June 9 could result in penalties including a reduction in delegates. It is unclear if the DNC still stands by that policy.
