The New York State Court of Appeals on Thursday removed two incumbent state Assembly members from the June 23 primary ballot.

The decisions clear the way for new faces in Albany next year. 

Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, an Upper East Side Democrat, was kicked off the Democratic and Working Families Party lines over a late petition cover sheet and late certification of acceptance.

Seawright has held the seat since 2014 and is secretary of the Assembly majority.

An even more veteran member of the Assembly, Carmen Arroyo of the Bronx, was also booted from the ballot after what the court deemed was a designating petition "permeated" by fraud. The court said 512 of 944 signatures submitted to get her on the Democrat line were backdated to dates before the blank petition pages were received.

Arroyo has represented her district for 26 years. Her Assembly biography notes that she is the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic woman elected to the legislative body.

She couldn't be immediately reached for comment. 

Her removal from the Democratic primary leaves Amanda Septimo as the sole Democratic candidate. Septimo is backed by the Working Families Party.

Seawright's removal from the ballot leaves no Democratic contender for the seat. Republican Lou Puliafito is vying to represent the district in the November general election.

In a statement, Seawright noted that the court's decision was split and said she would try to mount an independent campaign in the general election. 

"The Republican Party has thus far forced a Soviet Union-style election with a sole hand-picked candidate," Seawright said in a statement.
"We will continue to fight for ballot access so that the voters will have a choice this November."