Special election could cost $25,000

Yates County election officials say it could cost $25,000 in local dollars to hold a special election to fill the vacant seat in U.S. Congress previously held by U.S. Rep. Eric Massa.
Massa resigned from office Monday, March 8.

Yates County Administrator Sarah Purdy told the county legislature that she met with board of elections officials March 8 to discuss the possibility of a special election. She said election commissioners will work to try to minimize the cost, but this year’s budget does not include funds for an additional election.

Democratic Election Commissioner Robert Brechko explains the cost of the ballots used by the new optical scan machines are the driving factor in the cost.

The board of elections must have a ballot available for each registered voter in the county. At a cost of 57 cents each, that quickly adds up. “We didn’t budget for a special election,” he adds.

Purdy said if there is an election, the county will have to foot the bill and charge the costs back to each of the towns. But the bottom line is that the cost will be covered by local dollars, she said.

The decision to hold a special election or leave the seat vacant until the beginning of the next term following the November General Election will be made by Gov. David Paterson.

Brechko says his understanding is that the governor has until mid-April to decide if a special election should be held. Then, there is a specific time period in which the election must be scheduled. That would mean the election would have to be held before the next scheduled primary or general election.

Last Friday, Massa, 50, notified his Washington and campaign staff from his home in Corning that he was leaving office, citing a reocurrance of cancer and allegations filed against him with the House Ethics Committee.

He had previously announced his intention to not seek re-election, saying he learned in December that cancer he thought he’d beaten had returned.

On March 4, Zoe Lofgren of California, chair of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and Jo Bonner of Alabama, the ranking Republican member, released a brief statement that the committee is investigating and gathering additional information concerning matters related to allegations involving Massa.

Massa admitted in his March 5 statement that he had used inappropriate language in front of staff both in his home and in his office.

On March 7, Massa said he was targeted by fellow Democrats because of his opposition to the current health care bill.

In a sometimes-angry, sometimes-rambling monologue broadcast on a Hornell radio program, he said the allegations of sexual harassment date back to a staff member’s wedding on New Year’s Eve.

The allegation was not made by that staffer, said Massa, but by another person at the table.
He also accused Democratic party officials of forcing him out, since he was an outspoken opponent of health care reform legislation that had passed the House and Senate last year.
While the congressman will be leaving after less than one term, the office will continue to operate.

“We’ll continue casework for constituents,” said Joe Racalto, Massa’s chief of staff, who added that the office staff will stay in place. “Constituents remain our primary focus. We will continue to focus on matters that constituents are facing with the federal government.”

Last week Massa said he learned of the allegations made by a member of his staff on Thursday by reading Internet news sources. He said he does not know the identity of the staff member, when the incident happened, or what was said.

“I can’t subject my family and staff to a full investigation,” Massa said. “It would tear us apart ... It’s not that I can fight or beat these allegations, I’m guilty.”

Had the Ethics Committee conducted the investigation and found evidence against Massa, he could have faced a range of penalties from censure to expulsion.
Includes reporting by other GateHouse News Service sources.