UPDATED: Nov. 7 at 10:50 p.m.

New York state residents once again voted against holding a constitutional convention, a proposal that’s drawn contention on both sides of the aisle, The Associated Press reported early Tuesday night.

As of 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday, more than 76 percent of New Yorkers voted against hosting a convention.

The convention would have allowed officials to amend small sections of the constitution or completely rewrite the entire document. Amendments have to be approved by the New York State Legislature before officially becoming law.

New York hasn’t hosted a constitutional convention since 1938.

Opponents of the convention argued the process could damage labor protection laws and allow lobbyists and special interest groups to rewrite sections of the document in their favor.

Advocates of the convention, though, have said the process could spur much-needed reform and improve laws protecting civil rights. A convention could have also restructured state government by banning gerrymandering, the partisan redrawing of electoral districts, some proponents said.

Carl Heastie, Democratic speaker of the New York State Assembly, opposed the convention. And, across the aisle, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan also opposed the convention.

— Contributing writer Charlie Sawyer contributed reporting to this story.

Published on November 7, 2017 at 10:07 pm

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