After the public has voted on legislative candidates, those candidates begin several internal elections to determine leadership roles. The position of County Chairman, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader all must be decided before the next session begins. Because Allegany County legislature is entirely Republican, the role of Minority Leader does not exist. Based on every indication, District 1 Legislator Philip Stockin will be the new County Chair for the 2022 legislative session.
Newly re-elected District 4 legislator Steven Havey has thrown his hat in the ring for Majority Leader, seeking to replace Dwight Healy who currently holds that title. The role of majority leader, as defined by the US Senate:
“The leaders serve as spokespersons for their party’s positions on issues. The majority leader schedules the daily legislative program and fashions the unanimous consent agreements that govern the time for debate.”
We recently asked Havey about his intentions to seek this leadership role:
“I was asked by the Wellsville Sun for a comment on the position of Majority Leader in the 2022 Allegany County Legislature. These are my thoughts on the subject.
As we move into our new Legislative session, several leadership positions will become open. Board Chair, Vice-Chair, and Majority Leader will be chosen by a vote of the Legislators that will be seated for the next four years. After some deliberation, I have decided to run for the position of Majority Leader. I believe that Majority Leader is a position that would allow me to take a larger role in county government and make a larger contribution in 2022. Majority Leader is part organizer, part cheerleader, and part referee. The Majority Leader’s duties, among others, are to facilitate conversations about impending legislation and to ensure that all opinions on the subject are heard and considered. Intelligent decisions can not be made without this type of interaction. If selected, I hope to help create better legislation and benefit Allegany County in general and District Four in particular.”
Read our interview with Havey earlier this year and learn some more about the guy who could be the next Majority Leader of Allegany County.
