This post is being updated as we learn more about the ruling and the reaction.

U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe has set June 26 to become the new primary date for federal elections in New York in a long-awaited ruling handed down this afternoon.

“The court fully recognizes that a permanent primary date is best left to New York, but has acted as it must to preserve federally protected voting rights,” Sharpe wrote in the decision.

The court’s ruling does not impact state primary elections, which are traditionally held in mid-September. Barring legislative action, New York stands to have three party primaries now: one for House and Senate races, another for state Assembly and Senate and one for the GOP presidential election.

The Department of Justice had originally sued New York for failing to comply with the federal MOVE Act, which required military and overseas ballots in absentee voters’ hands no later than Aug. 18.

The state was denied a waiver from the Department of Defense late last year.

Sharpe writes in his order that the non-presidential federal primary date will be the fourth Tuesday in June “unless and until New York enacts legislation resetting the non-presidential federal primary election for a date that complies fully” with the U.S. law.

At first glance, the decision is a blow to Republicans, who had pushed hard for an August primary date, arguing that a June date would create a chaotic situation in the state Legislature. A spokesman for the Senate Republicans said the ruling was still under review.

Democrats, good-government groups and some elections officials had wanted a June date, saying that an August primary would make for even lower voter turnout.

Unless the Legislature acts, the decision upends the political calendar for candidates on the federal level, whose timetables force earlier petitioning filing dates, among other changes.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has remained more or less above the fray, saying that he hopes an agreement on a duel Congressional-Legislature primary can be reached. Back on Dec. 15, the governor said, “That’s an outcome I think that should be avoided and will be avoided.”

Three primaries would be a costly and expensive process, but it adds yet another wrinkle to legislative session.

Meanwhile, the state legislative commission charged with redrawing Congressional lines is just beginning that phase of the complex and politically charged process.

“It gives us stability instead of uncertainty. We understand how important it is to wrap up the process to carry out the process to get a primary date,” said Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany, the LATFOR co-chairman.

Common Cause also cheered the decision: “It is now incumbent on the Legislature to makes sure that the public does not pay for the travesty of three unnecesary primary dates. A June primary reinforces the need to quickly finalize the official redistricting maps, which is especially urgent given the lack of draft Congressional lines from LATFOR. It’s time to finalize a set of non-politicized maps for 2012, and focus on a fair result now and for the future.”

Decision – 1 26 12

Share|