It looks like a special election to fill out the term in the 27th Congressional District will be held April 28, the same day that the presidential primary will be held.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has not yet formally announced that date, but an official with the New York Attorney General’s office indicated in court Monday that is the date that Cuomo will set for an election to fill the seat previously held by Republican Chris Collins, who resigned last September. Collins resigned at around the time he also pleaded guilty to charges in an insider trading case.
There was a court hearing in Rochester Monday over a lawsuit brought by state Republican officials to force an election sooner, rather than later.
The 27th Congressional District includes all or part of eight counties, including a portion of Monroe county.
Monroe County Democratic Elections Commissioner Colleen Anderson says if the special election is held at the same time as the presidential primary, it will save some money.
“Anytime you combine elections it’s good for taxpayers because elections cost a lot of money these days, especially when you bring in early voting and having to do 9 days of early voting; so you’re going to have that on top of election day,” Anderson said.
Republican county elections commissioner Doug French says holding the special election on April 28 does give an unfair advantage to the Democrats.
“You’ve got 6 or 8 (Democratic) candidates for president, all out campaigning for the April 28th election here in New York state and there’s going to be a big percentage of those voters who come out to the polling site,” French said.
Judge John Ark reserved decision after Monday’s hearing, but if Cuomo does call for the special election to be held April 28, then that is when it will be held.
New York state GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy issued a statement criticizing what he calls Cuomo’s “partisan manipulation” of the special election, which Langworthy said “is a slap in the face to Western New Yorkers who won’t forget he put his own interests above their right to representation in Congress.”
Whoever wins the special election would serve through 2020, and would have to run again in November to keep the seat for a full, two-year term.
