Dems’ Postponement of Stefanik Special Election: A Hypocritical Assault on Democracy

While Democrats frequently accuse President Trump and other Republicans of being “threats to democracy,” their recent proposal in New York represents a much more tangible danger to the electoral process.

Governor Kathy Hochul, under the influence of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, is considering a measure that would extend the timeline for special elections — just prior to New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik stepping down to serve as ambassador to the United Nations.

This strategy aims to improve the chances of a Democrat taking her place while placing House Republicans at a disadvantage — and it is fundamentally unjust.

According to a century-old law, the governor of New York is required to call a special election within 10 days of any congressional vacancy, with the election set to occur 70 to 80 days later.

However, the sudden proposed alteration by the state Legislature would extend both the time to announce the special election and the voting period, potentially pushing the vote to June or even November, leaving Stefanik’s North Country district unrepresented for several months.

By combining special elections with regularly scheduled ones and lengthening the campaign period, Democrats believe they can enhance voter turnout and gain extra time to organize and fundraise, benefiting not just this upcoming race but future special elections as well.

Jeffries personally lobbied Hochul and key state legislators to modify the law — specifically to deny House Republicans a crucial vote.

With Stefanik’s confirmation anticipated this week and the vacancies left by Florida’s Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz, the GOP’s majority stands at a razor-thin 217–215.

By postponing a special election in a district that reliably votes Republican, Hochul and her supporters seem determined to hinder Trump’s agenda in the House — a rather ironic stance for those asserting to uphold democracy.

Rockland County Rep. Mike Lawler labeled the proposed postponement as “an outrageous abuse of power” that highlighted Democratic hypocrisy — and even called for the Justice Department to initiate a RICO investigation into the situation.

Democrats contend that merging special and regular elections would alleviate counties from unnecessary costs and operational challenges.

It’s amusing to see them concerned about public expenditures when it comes to undermining their political rivals, while Hochul seeks to increase the state budget by another $12 billion in the coming fiscal year.

Meanwhile, extending the vacancy means that constituents of New York’s 21st District will remain voiceless in Washington for months, effectively silencing them on critical federal issues.

Hochul and others in Albany claimed the proposed adjustment is about “voting rights,” referencing the historically lower turnout in special elections.

Yet, this is not the first time New York Democrats have undermined the democratic process under the guise of protecting voters’ “rights.”

In 2022, they invoked voter “equity” to push through a congressional redistricting map that was so overtly partisan that the Court of Appeals deemed it unconstitutional due to gerrymandering, such as merging strongly Republican Long Island with Democratic strongholds in Westchester and the Bronx.

In 2015, then-Governor Andrew Cuomo delayed a special election in New York’s 11th District following the resignation of GOP Rep. Michael Grimm.

Staten Islanders sued, arguing that the governor’s delay infringed upon their constitutional right to representation, and U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein ruled in their favor.

Weinstein warned Cuomo that “unjustified delay . . . cannot be tolerated” and instructed him to set a special election date within two days. Only then did Cuomo comply.

Hochul has also engaged in similar tactics: In 2022, she scheduled a special election for New York’s 19th District to align with the state’s congressional primaries — at the furthest end of the legally required window — aiming to boost Democratic turnout in favor of Democrat Pat Ryan, according to Republicans.

Jeffries’ push for a revised special-election law was met with heavy criticism from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who condemned the tactic as “a blatant display of political corruption.”

On Monday, state Democrats decided to halt the introduction of the bill — although, much like Hochul’s politically motivated congestion pricing delay, it may reappear at any time.

The pattern is evident: For a party that claims to safeguard democracy, state Democrats appear all too eager to manipulate regulations for their partisan benefit.

New Yorkers deserve election rules that prioritize fairness above any other consideration. We should not have to depend on state Republicans’ lawsuits or State Supreme Court decisions to safeguard voters from legislative misconduct.

If Democrats are genuinely committed to defending “democracy,” they should protect the electoral process from political maneuvering — and conduct special elections according to the existing laws instead of twisting them for partisan gain.

Paul Dreyer is a Cities Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute.