New York City Mayor Eric Adams is preparing to create a new city commission that could reshape the city's election rules and immigration policies.
The move could limit the authority of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani once he takes office.
The New York Post reported that Adams is expected to hand-pick an independent Charter Revision Commission that would begin its work before Mamdani and a new City Council assume power.
The commission would be authorized to continue operating into the next administration.
One of the central issues discussed in closed-door conversations is a review of city laws that restrict how local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration authorities.
The commission is also expected to revisit changes to the city's primary election system, including proposals that would allow unaffiliated voters to participate.
The temporary body, composed of Adams' appointees, would have wide discretion to propose changes to the city charter.
Any recommendations approved by the commission would ultimately be placed before voters as ballot measures in a future election.
Sources say the commission could be announced on Wednesday as one of Adams' final actions as mayor.
Critics argue that the move allows Adams to exert influence over major policy questions after leaving office, effectively boxing in the incoming mayor.
One source described the plan as undemocratic, saying it grants power to a commission established at the end of a mayor's term.
No previous mayor of New York has created a Charter Revision Commission in their final days in office that would carry over into the next administration.
If formed, the commission could place proposed charter changes on the ballot as early as next November.
Mamdani would have a limited ability to block proposals he opposes and would face significant legal hurdles if he attempted to dissolve the commission.
Adams previously convened a Charter Revision Commission with 13 members that examined changes to the city's primary election system.
That group initially advanced proposals to allow independent voters to choose between party primaries or to move all candidates into a single primary, with top vote-getters advancing to the general election.
In its final report, however, the commission declined to place those proposals on the ballot.
Primary elections, particularly after the adoption of ranked choice voting, have been a point of friction for Adams throughout his term.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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