Hochul Supports Election Day Voting Measures Amid Controversy
Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed her backing for a contentious voting measure on Election Day that could expand the mayor’s authority regarding housing in New York. However, she avoided directly addressing Zoran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate who has not stated his position on the matter.
Hochul refrained from commenting on Mamdani’s silence about specific ballot questions, which has caused concern among city council members who worry they might lose influence over zoning and approval for housing projects.
“I am here to support these proposals because I’ve dedicated the last four years as governor to breaking down barriers to affordable housing,” Hochul said while distributing flyers about the proposals to voters on the Upper East Side.
“I am determined to eliminate obstacles, ensuring that the young people here today can begin building a future, starting with reasonable rents and an affordable life in New York City,” she continued, circumventing a query about Mamdani’s reluctance to take a public stance.
This ballot initiative has been promoted by Mayor Eric Adams, who might reconsider his re-election bid this September, potentially leaving expanded powers over housing to his successor.
Mamdani, a Queens borough councilman leaning towards socialism and a frontrunner in Tuesday’s election, has notably not taken a position on the ballot question, despite making affordability and the housing crisis central to his campaign.
Backing the measure could create divisions between him and progressive allies within the City Council, as well as with notable labor unions, such as 32BJ SEIU, which represents many workers in real estate services.
“We haven’t yet taken a position on the proposed amendments to the ballot,” Mamdani commented previously while responding to criticism from former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa during a recent mayoral debate.
His campaign did not reply to a request for comments on Monday.
Outgoing City Council President Adrian Adams, who does not align with the mayor, has urged New Yorkers to reject the ballot measure.
“This threatens our neighborhoods by reducing access to genuinely affordable housing, diminishing investment, and increasing the risk of unwanted gentrification,” she said last month.
Hochul also encouraged a “yes” vote on Ballot Measure 6, which would allow for rescheduling the mayor’s election to coincide with presidential election years.
“Certain parts of our city struggle to elect Democrats,” Hochul pointed out to reporters.
“Boosting voter turnout tends to happen during gubernatorial and presidential election years, so I want to enhance the chances for Democrats to gain representation, as we’ve seen elsewhere in the state. The impact of Republican control was quite severe,” she added.
The Democrats passed this bill, and Hochul enacted legislation delaying most local elections outside New York City to even-numbered years in 2023. The law is currently facing a last challenge from the Republicans in federal court after the New York State Supreme Court upheld it unanimously.
