Former Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio was unanimously approved as commissioner on the city’s Board of Elections by the City Council’s Democratic caucus following a more contentious closed-door vote by its Brooklyn members, according to The City.
Seddio's confirmation by Council Democrats, on Jan. 13, came despite objections from good government groups and a number of the party’s political clubs, and without any formal opportunity for public comment, the news outlet said.
While state election law does not require the Council to hold a public hearing or vote on Board of Elections commissioners, it’s conducted both for previous Board of Elections appointments as recently as 2023.
Ben Weinberg, director of public policy at Citizens Union, one of the groups that opposed Seddio’s nomination, told The City that the group urged the Council to exercise its power to pick a commissioner with “experience and fitness to administer elections” rather than elevate a party insider without any public consideration of his fitness.
According to the news outlet, Brooklyn Democrats were divided with their vote.
Elijah Fox, a spokesperson for Council Member Chi Ossé, said that Brooklyn council members had split 8 to 5 over Seddio’s appointment in a vote before the citywide Democratic delegation’s vote, with Ossé opposing Seddio. Progressive Councilmembers Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler also said they also opposed Seddio at that point.
The city’s Board of Elections, where staff for virtually every post is still hand-picked by Democratic and Republican party leaders, has been battered by scandals over the years about everything from illegal voter-roll purges to allegations of nepotism.
