NYPIRG analysis shows how your legislators voted (by the numbers)
An analysis by the New York Public Interest (hey, I like these guys!) Research Group shows that the average GOP senator votes with his or her majority leader nearly 99 percent of the time.
The Assembly majority isn't much better, with legislators rolling in at an average clip of 97.41 percent of the time.
NYPIRG helpfully attached an appendix with full results for specific legislators, so here's how yours fared, by the numbers:
State Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton:
99.3 percent. That's how often Mrs. Ritchie voted with Majority Leader Dean Skelos. (Two things that come to mind immediately that she voted against Mr. Skelos on: Article X wind turbine siting, on which she spoke on the floor, convex mirrors for New York City trucks, and a temporary extension of rent regulations.)
26. That's how many bills Mrs. Ritchie got passed in the Senate, of the 45 she introduced. The average number of bills that passed the Senate for a majority member was 33.8, and many of the top passers are long-time legislators, so 26 is really none too shabby for the freshman Mrs. Ritchie. (Thirteen of her bills also passed the Assembly, the most delicious of which was the wine in frozen desserts.)
Zero. How many times Mrs. Ritchie was absent or did not vote.
State Sen. Joe Griffo, R-Rome:
99.2 percent. That's how often Mr. Griffo voted with Mr. Skelos. (Three things that come to mind that Mr. Griffo voted against Mr. Skelos on are the same as Mrs. Ritchie's.)
36. How many bills Mr. Griffo got passed in the Senate, right around average for the third-term lawmaker. He introduced 97 bills. Seventeen also passed the Assembly, but the two major disappointments that didn't bring it to 19 were some marquee issues: the legalization of mixed martial arts, and electing the president by National Popular Vote, both quashed at the behest of Speaker Sheldon Silver, I'm told.
Zero. Mr. Griffo was absent that many times. Gold stars for him and Mrs. Ritchie!
Assemblywoman Addie Russell, D-Theresa
99.31 percent. That's how often Mrs. Russell voted against Mr. Silver, the Assembly speaker. The average for Democrats is 97.41 percent.
14. That's how many bills, out of 36 introduced, that Mrs. Russell saw passed. The average is 8.6 for Democratic assemblymembers. The Senate went on to pass 13 of her bills.
Zero. This is becoming a trend: How many times Mrs. Russell was absent.
Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, R-Black River.
93.3 percent. The clip at which Mr. Blankenbush voted with Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb. That gives him the most independence out of any north country legislator, but he was still above the average for Assembly Republicans, which is 90.1 percent fealty.
3. That's how many bills Mr. Blankenbush passed, out of 21 introduced. Now, don't hold it against him. Life as a minority member in the Assembly isn't easy. And none too shabby for a freshman. He's even above the average: Assembly Republicans passed 2.6 bills each this year. All three of Mr. Blankenbush's bills also passed the Senate. Two of them were sales-tax extensions, for Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. The third was a court consolidation for Lewis County.
Zero. Mr. Blankenbush joined his fellow north country legislators in having perfect attendance.
Also, a quick note on those "voting with leadership" numbers: For each legislator, the similarity to the opposite-party leader is also very close, even reaching into the 90s. So I suppose this means the great deliberations don't happen on the Senate and Assembly floors.
There you have it. As NYPIRG notes, we'll probably have some new numbers by the time the year is out. The Legislature will vote on more stuff before the year is out.
