ALBANY – Socialist Democrat Zohran Mamdani has been MIA from the state Capitol as he campaigns for New York Metropolis mayor — lacking a whopping greater than 50% of votes within the Meeting.
The Queens pol has been absent for 231 roll name votes to date this yr — greater than every other member of the state Meeting, in keeping with tallies reviewed by The Submit.
That quantity marked simply over half of the overall votes held by the decrease chamber of the Legislature as of Tuesday.
The information present that Mamdani — who introduced his candidacy for the Democratic mayoral nomination in late October — hasn’t made a roll name vote within the Meeting because the state funds was handed on Might 8.
The chamber has had 11 voting enterprise days in that point — none of which included the far-left pol’s voice.
“Some individuals take their jobs critically, others don’t,” one Democratic lawmaker, who requested to stay nameless, quipped.
Different state lawmakers who’re additionally operating for the Democratic nod have missed a substantial variety of votes, too, although fewer than Mamdani.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) missed about 49% of votes, probably the most of any consultant in his chamber.
And State Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) has missed the third most votes within the senate with a 27% absence fee.
Mamdani’s truancy is very noteworthy as Meeting lawmakers have the flexibility to forged votes remotely via a videoconferencing setup launched through the COViD-19 pandemic.
He has taken benefit of his remote-voting skill — together with on a controversial measure to authorize physician-assisted suicide in April — however its unclear precisely how most of the votes he truly made had been finished through video.
Meeting guidelines state that members can solely vote remotely throughout conditions equivalent to “incapacity, sickness, caregiving obligations, or every other vital or sudden issue.”
Mamdani’s spokesperson stated the lefty politician has continued to push laws from afar, equivalent to a brand new invoice that might require utility corporations to inform clients when making a bid with the state to alter their charges.
His workplace additionally pointed to as proof of Mamdani doing his job occasions that he’s held for constituents, together with to assist asylum seekers, and holding conferences with numerous teams from his district.
“Zohran grew to become a prime tier candidate for NYC mayor whereas sustaining a close to good attendance document via the conclusion of the weeks-delayed New York State Funds,” Mamdani marketing campaign spokesperson Andrew Epstein stated in an announcement.
“Since then, he has spent most of his time speaking to voters throughout the 5 boroughs whereas persevering with to keep up totally operational and efficient Albany and district places of work, cosponsoring laws, marshaling bipartisan laws taking over ConEd via committee, and addressing constituent considerations,” Epstein stated.
State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens), whose district overlaps with Mamdani’s, got here to the guy Queens pol’s protection over his absences.
“I do know Zohran has continued to work exhausting for his district even whereas operating a really lively citywide marketing campaign,” Gianaris stated. “My workplace interacts together with his continuously on points necessary to our shared constituents and that has not slowed down in any respect.”
However Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Nassau) — who has good attendance — made a dig at Mamdani’s absences.
“I didn’t understand he hasn’t been there actually,” Ra remarked.
