New York City Mayor Eric Adams would be replaced by lefty Public Advocate Jumaane Williams if he were to step down from office following his federal indictment.
Adams, who can still serve his position while under federal indictment, had faced calls to resign even before he was charged – and those calls are expected to grow louder as he faces legal turmoil.
If Adams were to vacate office, Williams, a progressive Democrat who has been public advocate since 2019, would take over as acting mayor and be in charge of setting the date for a special election.
The next in line after Williams is Comptroller Brad Lander, a Democrat and Adams’ rival running for mayor next year.
The special election would only be set if it’s 90 days before the upcoming primary election that’s on June 24, 2025, an election lawyer told The Post.
Williams would need to mark a date for a special election on the first Tuesday at least 80 days from when he assumed power, according to the city charter.
A special election would be non-partisan, and there would be no primaries. Candidates would appear on the ballot without party affiliation.
If Adams refuses to step down, Gov. Kathy Hochul could take the extraordinary action to remove him from office before his term is up. But a source told The Post there is no chance Hochul would make that move.
Adams, who was sworn in at the start of 2022, is facing a tough reelection fight with a number of candidates jumping into the primary next June.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy.