With simply hours left in workplace, Mayor Adams launched a Constitution Revision Fee stacked with political allies on Wednesday afternoon, tasking the panel with contemplating altering metropolis legislation to permit for open primaries in native elections.
Marty Connor, former State Senate minority chief and an election lawyer, will chair the fee. Adams appointed stalwart allies to the panel, together with his former press secretary Kayla Mamelak, former Hearth Commissioner Robert Tucker, deputy chief of workers Menashe Shapiro, homeless advocate Shams DaBaron and United Bodega of America founder Fernando Mateo.
Some members tapped for the Eleventh-hour fee weren’t requested till Wednesday morning if they might be prepared to serve on it, in line with a supply with data of the matter.
“This historic commission will bring together trailblazing leaders from across the five boroughs to examine our city’s charter and explore ways to create a more inclusive, democratic city government,” Adams mentioned in a press release issued simply hours earlier than his time as mayor was set to come back to an finish at midnight. “I want to personally thank the men and women who are stepping up to serve on this commission.”
The panel may additionally study repealing facets of town’s sanctuary legal guidelines, although that component is just not seen as a precedence, in line with sources.
The fee would technically have authority to advance poll referendum questions for a future election to undertake adjustments to the Metropolis Constitution.
However a number of metropolis authorities officers accustomed to the Constitution Revision Fee course of, who spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned incoming Mayor Mamdani is probably not fully powerless in the case of undoing Adams’ last-minute panel.
Whereas he could not be capable to formally disband it, Mamdani may starve the fee of funding, workers and Legislation Division help, making it successfully toothless, a supply mentioned.
Connor, the chairperson of the brand new fee, nonetheless mentioned in a press release that “making sure every voter has an equal say in our city’s governance is a goal that is always worth pursuing.”
“I am looking forward to hearing from every corner of New York about the best way to achieve this,” Connor’s assertion added.
A spokesperson for Mamdani didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks throughout a press convention at Elmhurst Medical Heart on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, in Queens, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Day by day Information)
Round 1 million New Yorkers are unaffiliated with a celebration and subsequently can’t take part in major elections, in line with good authorities group Residents Union, which has advocated for the change however in opposition to the formation of this fee.
A earlier panel convened by Adams additionally thought of the open major idea earlier this yr however in the end determined in July to not transfer ahead with it.
Adams beforehand introduced collectively two different commissions, together with one which superior a sequence of housing production-related questions on the Nov. 4 poll that handed regardless of fierce opposition from the Metropolis Council.
The outgoing mayor continuously sparred with the Metropolis Council throughout his 4 years in workplace and was accused by Speaker Adrienne Adams of utilizing the Constitution Revision Commissions to undermine the legislative physique.
“This mayor abused the charter revision process repeatedly and there are many guilty enablers of this anti-democratic conduct, so it is no major surprise that his abuses of power continued into the last day and final hours,” Mandela Jones, a spokesperson for the outgoing speaker, mentioned in a press release.
Gov. Hochul earlier in December vetoed a invoice that may have prevented a mayor from bumping Council proposals off the poll.
