Voters reject constitutional convention

Other propositions OK’d

New York state voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected holding a constitutional convention but approved allowing judges to strip the pensions of any public official convicted of corruption.

The constitutional convention proposition was defeated by a margin of 8317 percent, according to results from 99 percent of precincts.

The statewide tally was 2,770,583 opposed and 557,953 in favor.

In Ulster County, residents voted 38,071 to 5,626 against holding the convention. The vote in Dutchess County was 55,306 opposed and 9,350 in favor.

The proposition on denying pensions to convicted officials won approval by a 72-28 margin statewide.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, the vote totals were 2,377,308 in favor and 882,328 against.

The vote in Ulster County was 34,872 to 8,316 in favor. The Dutchess vote was 49,180 to 13,979 in favor.

The vote closes a loophole that had allowed some lawmakers to keep their public pensions despite convictions for abusing their office.

A 2011 law allowed judges to revoke or reduce pensions of crooked lawmakers, but it didn’t apply to sitting lawmakers at the time. A constitutional amendment was needed to cover all lawmakers, no matter when they were elected.

More than 30 lawmakers have left office facing allegations of corruption or misconduct since 2000.

A third proposition on the ballot, authorizing the creation of a 250-acre “health and safety land account” in the Catskills and Adirondacks, also won statewide approval. The margin was 52-48 percent in favor with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

The statewide vote totals was 1,660,508 to 1,524,433.

The vote in Ulster County was 24,128 to 18,308. The Dutchess vote was 55,372 to 27,353.