ALBANY – It may take up to two more weeks before New Yorkers will know which political party will control the state senate. According to the LegislativeGazette.com, a couple state senate races are too close to call and as a result, absentee ballots will determine the eventual winner. Republicans went into Tuesday with a 33-29 majority in the chamber that requires 32 votes to pass any measure.
After election night, it appeared two Republican Senate seats in Poughkeepsie and Rochester would switch to Democrats leaving the chamber tied 31-31. Meanwhile, a new seat created earlier this year by the Republican majority to help seal its control of the upper chamber was too close to call on Election night. That race pitted Republican George Amedore against Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk in the 46th Senate District. The outcome will be determined by thousands of absentee ballots.
Democrats had sought to win the majority of the Senate, promising a progressive agenda that included raising the minimum wage. Republicans sought to hold the majority on a platform of jobs and fiscal control.
In the Assembly, Democrats easily continued their supermajority – holding 106 out of the 150 seats.
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