Here's a quick forecast of the coming year in New York state politics, courtesy AM New York's 2012 forecast. The legislative redistricting process is bound to set off some sparks. State lawmakers must redraw legislative boundaries based on new population data, but Cuomo has threatened to veto their maps because he wants an independent redistricting panel to do it. All 150 seats in the state Assembly and 62 seats in the state Senate are on the line in the Nov. 6 election. Whether the state will hold special elections before then to fill empty seats remains an open questions. Democrats in Columbia and Dutchess county say they're currently interviewing candidates to fill the Assembly seat for New York's 103rd district, which includes most of Columbia County. The seat was vacated Marc Molinaro, who takes up his new post as Dutchess County Executive in 2012. Their could be a special election in the district, or the seat could remain vacant through the forthcoming legislative session, and the seat could be eliminated in redistricting.