'Complete disgrace!' Republican lawmaker throws fit over new law to increase voter turnout

On Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) signed an election reform bill that will move most local elections into even-numbered years, a change that has been advocated by commentators around the country for years, as eliminating odd-year elections saves taxpayer money and consolidates all voting into times when voters are likelier to turn out for elections.

But New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler took to social media to express his outrage over the legislation.

"What Democrats in New York have done to change the election law to try and win elections before a single vote is cast is truly remarkable," wrote Lawler. "Moving all elections (except NYC) to even years despite no one asking for it, only allowing lawsuits to be filed in 4 DEM heavy counties, circumventing the constitution to allow no excuse absentee ballots during early voting… among many other changes… on top of stacking the court to gerrymander the Congressional maps."

"The level of corruption and total disdain for the voters is breathtaking," he continued. "Protecting Democracy? These folks undermine it without even batting an eye. Kathy Hochul is a complete disgrace."

ALSO READ: A neuroscientist’s guide to surviving Christmas with Trump-loving relatives

Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who was expelled from the House this month with the support of most of the New York GOP delegation and has subsequently been revenge-posting against them on social media, swiftly replied to Lawler mockingly. "Cry harder little Mike," he wrote, saying that "the Republican establishment in New York can go to hell for being self serving hacks that rely on low voter turnout [in odd] election years to keep control over counties while putting a chokehold on people’s votes in exchange for a job!"

Lawler is widely considered one of the most vulnerable House Republicans in 2024, even absent the push by Democrats to redraw New York State's congressional maps.

New York has been one of the more difficult states in the country to vote in for years. Democrats passed a state-level Voting Rights Act in 2022 to safeguard against many voter suppression tactics, and this September, followed up with a bill allowing no-excuse mail-in voting.