Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen announced on Tuesday a proposal to put a law in place giving the power to fill vacant town seats to the voters.
Currently the Town Board has the ability to fill vacant positions.
Gillen and Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, the only other Democrat serving on the Town Board, are the only Town Board members initially elected to serve.
The other five members were all appointed to their first terms and won subsequent elections.
“It’s disgraceful that whenever there is a vacancy in the town, voters are robbed of an opportunity to make their voices heard,” Gillen said. “It’s a protection program for party politicians, where candidates are unfairly given the power of incumbency through selection, when it should be by an election.”
The proposed law would apply to all elective offices in the town, including supervisor, clerk, receiver of taxes and Town Board.
A public hearing on the law will be held on May 22.
Under the law, if a vacancy occurs the board must decide to hold a special election no less than 60 days and no more than 90 days after the vacancy.
The law also includes a provision that if a vacancy occurs within 90 days of a general election, the office remains vacant until the general election.
“This law would put an end to these backroom deals and restore the democratic process to the largest township in America,” Gillen said.
Gillen has filed a lawsuit against Town Board members, former Supervisor Anthony Santino and the local union to nullify a contract that limits the board’s power to lay off workers even in times of financial crisis.
