NEW CITY – The County of Rockland has filed a lawsuit against the State of New York for its election bill which demands local elections to occur only in even numbered years, while cutting terms down a year.
The county says that is a direct violation of its charter and ultimately forcing local races to be overshadowed by state and federal elections.
The state legislators who voted for the bill almost entirely represent cities that are not impacted and will continue to have all their elections, while suburban and rural legislators which are impacted, voted 2 to 1 against this legislation.
“This law is another attempt to override local charters, laws, and control in a home rule state and the oath I took is to our federal and state constitutions, our charter, and the people of Rockland County not Governor Hochul,” said County Executive Day. “Local governments are the most responsive and responsible to the everyday person and play a vital governance role for drinking water, social services, sewage, zoning, schools, roads, parks, police, courts, jails, trash disposal — and more- and we have a constitutional right to say how our local officials are chosen.”
On April 22, the County of Rockland filed a lawsuit against the State of New York to preserve the rights of the people of this county to choose when and how often they vote to select their elected officials, they maintain.
The Orange County Legislature has also authorized the county attorney to file suit against the state over the same issue.
