Statement by Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos

Senate Republicans share Governor-elect Cuomo’s serious concern that a needless, protracted delay in determining the results of three Senate elections would create gridlock in the Senate, that the ballots must be counted expeditiously and any legitimate legal issues must be resolved as soon as possible. 

In a desperate attempt to drag out the ballot counting process into next year, Senate Democrats have hired more election lawyers to stall the counting of votes and they continue to insist on hand recounts of tens of thousands of ballots that could drag on well into next year. Senate Democrats even admit that they are delaying the process so they can raise money from special interests to pay off $2 million in campaign debt.

The audit of voting machines has proven the counts to be accurate, there is no evidence that any voter has been disenfranchised in any way and there is simply no reason to conduct a hand recount or engage in lengthy litigation that would delay the process and jeopardize a functioning Senate.

I hope the Court of Appeals will respect Governor-elect Cuomo’s request and do everything possible to ensure that this process is concluded quickly.  When the counting is done in Nassau County, Western New York and Westchester, the result will be a Senate Republican Majority that will work with the new Governor to create jobs, cut state spending and taxes.

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