Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a former challenger to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is defeated by Sen. George Latimer
The State Board of Elections is reporting unofficial results from yesterday’s elections, showing that New Yorkers — by wide margins — voted against holding a Constitutional Convention. Voters did approve two changes to the Constitution however; one giving judges more leeway to revoke pensions from dishonest officials and another making it easier to perform public works projects in the Adirondack and Catskill parks.
Proposal One, which asked if voters wanted to hold a multi-year convention to review and update the state’s Constitution, was defeated 76.6 percent to 16.25 percent, with 12,855 out of 15,502 precincts reporting.
Proposal Two, which would give judges the ability to revoke or reduce pensions of public officials convicted of corruption and fraud, regardless of when they took office, passed 64 percent to 27 percent, with 12,855 of 15,502 precincts reporting. Essentially, all public officials now could have their public pensions revoked, regardless of when they took office.
Proposal Three, which creates a 250-acre “land bank” to help villages, towns and counties in the Adirondacks and Catskills perform public works and economic development projects, was approved by 45.7 percent to 42.8 percent, with 12,710 of 15,349 precincts reporting. Municipalities in these Forest Preserve lands are required to give back an equal amount of land they take to perform public works projects, such as widening roads. This land bank makes it easier to fulfill that obligation without having to seek voter approval for every project.
In the New York City mayor’s race, incumbent Bill de Blasio handily defeated Republican challenger Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Island assemblywoman, getting 65 percent of the vote compared to 28 percent for the challenger. He will be starting his second term in January.
In Westchester County, Sen. George Latimer ousted two-term County Executive Rob Astorino with a vote of 57 percent for the Democrat and 43 percent for the Republican incumbent.
In legislative races, Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh won Daniel Squadron’s former senate seat in Brooklyn; Daniel Rosenthal took the 27th Assembly seat in Queens; and Alfred Taylor took the Harlem Assembly seat long held by Denny Farrell after he retired earlier this year. These last two races were unopposed.
