National
As the 2024 election season is officially underway, The Messenger would like to chronicle as many developments leading up to November as possible, even checking in on the granular races across the country.
After a special election in Utah’s Second Congressional District last month – won by Celeste Malloy (R) – the House briefly enjoyed a full quorum, until former Congressman George Santos (R-Queens) was ousted in a historic expulsion vote. Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has set a special election date for New York’s Third District for February 13. Former Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip (R-Great Neck) are the candidates for the election.
Now, the razor-thin Republican House majority has dwindled further as deposed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) resigned his seat at the start of the year. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has fourteen days to call a special election for the seat, which will likely take place in May. McCarthy’s seat is centered on Bakersfield and is the most Republican-leaning seat in the entire state.
The House retirements list continues to grow as a historically large set of names, owing to what most assume is burnout from congressional gridlock, hyperpartisanship, and an increasingly uncertain political calculus with the constant state of global affairs and the large question mark over party prospects in the 2024 elections.
Two new names have been added to the list. Congressman John Curtis (R, UT-03) is forgoing another term in the House to run for the open Senate seat in the wake of Mitt Romney (R-UT). Romney has served one term in the Senate since 2019 and earned himself national chagrin for bucking the party and President Trump.
Next door in Colorado, firebrand conservative Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R, CO-03) is making a move from the state’s large western district to its eastern one. Longtime wildcard Congressman Ken Buck (R, CO-04) made the decision to retire after citing “insidious narratives” from party leaders. Buck was one of eight Republicans to vote to oust Speaker McCarthy in October.
Boebert’s decision to run in Colorado’s most Republican district not only helps somewhat ensure her another term, although far from guaranteed, but also shores up party prospects in the libertarian Third District. Republican on paper, the Third has an unusual mix of working-class Latino voters, rich, liberal towns, and conservative whites, making it a prime swing district in a state that is racing to the left. Boebert won a too-close-for-comfort election over Adam Frisch (D) in 2022, a year that should have seen her win with relative ease as her party largely performed historical expectations.
Colorado’s Fourth District is the most conservative in the state. Lining the entire western Kansas border, the district is mostly flat, agrarian, and much more Republican-leaning than the state as a whole.
State
In a bold end-of-year move, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) signed controversial legislation moving local off-year elections to even-numbered years, which aligns them with presidential and midterm election years.
Introduced by Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) of the Forty-Second Senate District and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale) of the Eighty-Eighth Assembly District, the bill will, after 2025, “amend the town law, the village law, the county law, and the municipal home rule law, in relation to moving certain elections to even-numbered years.” The purpose of the bill is expressed as providing “that certain local elections held outside of New York City shall be held on election day in November in even-numbered years.”
The move has largely been in limbo all year, as it was introduced last January, debated in June, and finally signed by the governor on December 22.
But this concept has been floating around the halls of Albany for at least the past decade, as similar versions of this bill have died in committees in every legislative session since 2013.
“Every eligible New Yorker deserves the right to participate in the democratic process without unnecessary barriers,” said Hochul in a statement. “This is a meaningful first step and I would support a constitutional amendment to align all election years, to save taxpayer dollars and avoid voter fatigue.”
Hochul refers to a constitution amendment to “align all election years” with respect to elections not under legislative authority, such as judicial races and elections within New York City.
Skoufis, the bill’s Senate sponsor, thanked the governor on X, formerly known as Twitter, for signing the bill, calling it a “transformative win for voter participation and equity.”
Democratic groups also praised the legislation.
“Aligning local elections with high-profile races will lead to increased voter turnout, particularly among young people and people of color,” Citizens Union Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum said in a statement.
Proponents of the bill have argued that in addition to alleviating “voter fatigue” by holding elections each year, the bill will also save money by reducing the amount of elections, the need for equipment and machines, and the payment of poll workers and election monitors.
Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) of the Fourth Senate District returned comment to The Messenger on her take as to why she voted in favor of the legislation.
“Shifting local elections in New York State to even years aims to address low voter turnout and promote a more inclusive democracy,” said Martinez. “The stark voter turnout disparities in certain legislative districts, particularly in odd years, signals the need for urgent reform. The new law, supported by bipartisan consensus, aligns with studies indicating higher voter participation in even-numbered years. Synchronizing local elections with state and federal ballots, the new law seeks to empower historically-neglected communities, reduce election administration costs, and enhance civic engagement for a more vibrant and equitable democratic process.”
Opponents, on the other hand, criticize the bill for compromising home rule and local authority, as well as diluting each idiosyncratic election year and level of office with heavily nationalized election messaging and down ballot influences in a political era where such drags on electoral tickets are more outsized than they were last decade. Some Republican leaders also say that the move is an attempt to dilute Republican voting power in local elections if they are paired with more nationalized races in which Democrats tend to have more down ballot energy in a state like New York.
Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) of the Fifth Assembly District sat down with The Messenger to discuss the legislation.
“Starting in November 2026 and 2028, when millions of dollars are being spent for presidential or congressional elections, our town and county candidates will be running those years instead of in 2027 and 2029,” said Smith. “This will inject more special interest money as local officials will have to try to break through the noise and nonsense to explain why their issues are important too.”
“Local issues will be completely lost in the process,” continued Smith. “Democrats think this will benefit them. Local issues deserve their own local elections. The people representing you at the town and county level should have their own time to make their case for why they should be elected and what local issues are important, separate and apart from the divisive national and state issues. We will be taking this to court.”
Other groups and spokespeople called on the logistical problems posed by the bill, such as longer lines and wait times at polls, longer – and even multiple-page – ballots, and less attention paid to each individual election.
The bill passed 89-57-4 in the Assembly. All Republicans from Suffolk voted against it, with Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) being the only democrat to do so.
The bill passed 39-23 in the Senate. All Republican members of the Suffolk delegation voted against it.
Democrats have a 102-48 edge in the Assembly and a 42-21 edge in the Senate.
Local
Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) of the First District recently traveled to Los Angeles with Congressman Mike Levin (D, CA-49) to visit Navy Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis, whose release from Japan was long bartered by Washington. He remains imprisoned in the United States.
“Rep. Levin (CA-49) and I were able to meet with LT Alkonis for about 60 minutes and we were impressed by his mental strength and resilience,” said LaLota in a statement. “But make no mistake, despite being back in the United States, Lieutenant Alkonis is still a prisoner, separated every day and night from his family by cement, steel, and barbed wire while serving much more time than if he was found guilty of the same ‘crime’ in the United States. Unlike when LT Alkonis was in a Japanese prison, each day the Lieutenant wakes up in an American prison is a day the country he faithfully served for 15 years chooses to imprison him beyond the sentence any other American would receive. The President deserves credit for getting LT Alkonis out of a Japanese prison. Now, he must finish the job and exercise his clemency power and give LT Alkonis his freedom back and properly reunite him with his family.”
Alkonis was sentenced to three years in prison in Japan for the October 2021 accident that killed two people and injured a third. While driving with his family from Mount Fuji, Alkonis suffered acute mountain sickness and lost consciousness while behind the wheel, while Japanese authorities charged him with negligent driving. Alkonis’ family have offered the families of the deceased $1 million in restitution.
