Governor Announces Phase Two of Anti-Corruption Agenda

Gov. Cuomo announced the second step in his anti-corruption efforts yesterday – “a series of proposals and reforms to strengthen New York State’s electoral process and help prevent public corruption.”

The Governor proposes:

• Creating an independent enforcement unit at the State Board of Elections (SBOE) to investigate and prosecute election law violations;
• Opening up the state’s primaries to any candidate who can collect the requisite number of signatures by eliminating the “Wilson-Pakula” requirement; and
• Changing political party enrollment deadlines to make it easier for voters to switch parties.

The proposed independent enforcement unit at the SBOE would have the authority to investigate election-law violations without having to seek SBOE approval. Currently, the SBOE (which the Governor, at his press conference, referred to as a “toothless tiger”) does not have the authority to prosecute criminal Election Law violations.  It can only refer such matters to a district attorney.

The unit would be led by a chief election enforcement officer, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, who would serve a set term.  He or she would be authorized to investigate and prosecute both civil and criminal cases, and would have subpoena power.

Read news coverage regarding the proposal in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Times Union, the Daily News and Gotham Gazette.