Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics on May 2, the two remaining candidates for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor rebuked the effort to change New York's election law in order to remove Brian Benjamin's name from the ballot, calling the effort an unfair change to the rules midway through the election season, and a sign of sloppiness in state government. "This is the messiest election that anyone has seen," said former New York City Councilmember Diana Reyna, the preferred running mate of U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi. "I think everyone can agree with that." The measure will make it easier to remove a candidate from the ballot if they are facing criminal charges. Benjamin was Gov. Kathy Hochul's lieutenant governor, but resigned last month amid federal bribery and fraud charges. He has suspended his campaign, but his name remains on the ballot. If Benjamin's name is removed from the ballot, the state Democratic Party's committee on vacancies will then formally begin the process of selecting a new candidate. Progressive activist Ana Maria Archila, the preferred running mate of New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, also knocked the bill, the product of a negotiation between Hochul and lawmakers who had been reluctant to take it up. "New Yorkers deserve free and fair elections, and that means elections where no one can change the rules of the game at the last minute," she said. The legislature barely passed the bill May 2, with many Democrats joining Republicans in opposition, and Hochul signed the bill into law. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.