Statement from Suffolk County Attorney Chris Clayton
Statement from Suffolk County Attorney Chris Clayton.
Statement from Suffolk County Attorney Chris Clayton:
The “Even Year Election Law” was unilaterally forced upon the voters of Suffolk County by Democrats in Albany with one goal: to dilute our voice in local elections.
Since 1958, it has been the law in Suffolk County to hold local elections on odd years. Our County Charter was drafted with the common sense understanding that we wanted our local elections for be focused on local issues.
County Executive Ed Romaine and the Republican Legislative Majority want Suffolk voters focused on Suffolk issues — property taxes, public safety, clean drinking water, roads, affordability, and the records of the men and women responsible for running their local government.
Albany wants to bury our local elections underneath presidential and statewide campaigns, where hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising and national political noise will drown out the issues that actually affect Suffolk County families, while unfairly allowing New York City to be exempt from the consequences of this misguided law.
Suffolk County voters should have the same right to determine how and when they elect their local leaders and decide upon issues that impact their families
Litigation is time consuming and expensive. But it was the State’s decision to unilaterally force a change upon the way we conduct elections, while allowing the City the right to put the matter to a vote compelled us to take action to try to protect the interests of Suffolk County voters. The Suffolk County Executive and Presiding Officer have worked collaboratively on this matter to help control the costs of litigation while trying to protect the interests of Suffolk County voters.
