Governor David A. Paterson today issued a proclamation calling a special election to be held Tuesday, November 3, 2009, to fill a vacancy in the 23rd Congressional District due to the resignation of Congressman John McHugh.
"This special election will ensure that the residents of all or parts of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties are represented in the U.S. House of Representatives," Governor Paterson said. "I encourage all eligible voters to come out to the polls on November 3, 2009 to select their Member of Congress."
Governor Paterson issued the special election proclamation pursuant to Section 42 of the Public Officers Law. The Proclamation orders and proclaims that an election for a Member of Congress be held in the twenty-third Congressional District, including all or parts of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties and shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by law for elections in New York State.
This election is unlike any other. You have what conservatives are calling a liberal Republican - Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava - running on the Republican line. You have a moderate independent - Bill Owens - running on the Democratic line. And then you have a conservative Republican - Doug Hoffman - running on the Conservative Party line. It really is an odd election, to say the least. But it is an election nonetheless.
