Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman joined Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine and a multitude of legislators and public officials at a press conference on Tuesday to denounce New York State’s decision to change many Long Island local elections to even-numbered years.
Earlier this month, the Western New York branch of the Appellate Division upheld New York’s law following a challenge from Republicans who said it was a partisan effort by state Democrats to give their party an election advantage. The appeal’s defeat drew outrage from County Executive Blakeman and other local officials because of its potential impact on voter turnout, engagement, and the ability of constituents to focus on local issues.
“Our state officials are trying to drown us out. They’re trying to take the local issues and put them down the ballot so that people won’t have an opportunity to have a fair debate and talk about the issues that are important to county government, town government, city government, and the village government,” County Executive Blakeman stated. “What is this all about? It’s about state control – the state trying to run our counties, towns, villages, and cities, from Albany with one-party rule.”…