Having seconds

Democratic primary voters have a three-way choice of lieutenant governor on their ballots right underneath the title card. Our advice, as always, is that each voter should pick the LG candidate aligned with the gubernatorial contender they favor. Tom Suozzi partisans should select Diana Reyna. Fans of Jumaane Williams should go for Ana Maria Archila. Backers of Kathy Hochul — who we’ve endorsed — should bubble in Brian Benjamin, oops, we mean Antonio Delgado (sorry, we couldn’t resist).

We don’t want mismatched odd couples winning the party nomination; it makes for uncomfortable general election campaigning and even worse governing. The election law should be changed so pairs run together as a single ticket in the primary, or, presidential style, let each party’s primary winners pick their running mates before the November voting.

Another needed LG reform relates to how a vacancy in the office is filled. When Gov. David Paterson named Dick Ravitch as LG in 2009 and it was upheld by the state’s highest court, the state Constitution should have been amended to enshrine that gubernatorial power along with a required approval of the selection by both houses of the Legislature. That would mirror the wise procedures of the 25th Amendment for picking a new vice president.

Instead, Benjamin was tapped by Hochul without a second look by anyone. Scrutiny from the entire Legislature could have perhaps avoided such a bad choice.

The last change to the LG should be how the top dog treats the No. 2. While a governor may prefer to continue to consign the LG to ribbon-cuttings, as has long been the bipartisan tradition, the LG should be kept involved, so he or she is ready to take over.