If New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigns following a federal indictment, he will be replaced by left-leaning public advocate Jumaane Williams.
Even before Adams was indicted, who is able to continue in his role despite being indicted by federal prosecutors, there had been calls for him to step down, and those calls are expected to grow as he faces legal turmoil.
If Adams steps down, Williams, a progressive Democrat who has run a civic campaign since 2019, would become acting mayor and be responsible for setting a date for the special election.
Next up for Williams is Comptroller Brad Lander, a Democrat and Adams' rival for mayor next year.
An election lawyer told The Washington Post that a special election could be set any time before the June 24, 2025 primary election.
According to the city charter, Williams is required to set a date for the special election for the first Tuesday after at least 80 days in office.
Special elections are nonpartisan and do not have primaries; candidates appear on the ballot without party affiliation.
If Adams refuses to resign, Gov. Kathy Hawkle could take the extraordinary step of removing him from office before his term ends, but sources told The Post she is unlikely to do so.
Adams, who takes office in early 2022, faces a tough re-election battle next June with many candidates competing in the primary.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy.
