The impeachment of New York Mayor Eric Adams could impact the way New York awards its Electoral College votes in November.

The criminal investigation into the mayor could lead to his replacement as one of the state’s 28 Democratic presidential electors.

Adams was indicted on Wednesday on alleged federal corruption charges, reported The New York TimesThe indictment remained sealed and it is unclear what charges the Democrat faces.

There were also suggestions on X that Adams may have acted as a “disloyal” elector by intentionally not voting for Kamala Harris in response to the federal investigation against him.

“The nightmare scenario unleashed is a 270-268 Electoral College result and the faithless Elector Eric Adams winning by 269-269,” wrote Joel Wertheimer, a civil rights attorney and former deputy staff secretary to Barack Obama.

But Gavin Bena, one of Missouri’s 10 Democratic presidential electors, said replacing Adams with the New York Electoral College “will not cost Harris any votes.”

Newsweek has emailed Adams’ office for comment.

With the indictment, Adams, who is running for re-election next year, will be the first New York mayor to face an indictment in federal court while in office.

In a video statement, Adams said all allegations against him were “completely false and based on lies.” Adams also vowed to remain in office while he fights the allegations.

Harris is likely to retain her stronghold among Democrats in November. The latest Siena College poll, conducted September 11-16 among 1,003 likely voters, found the vice president leading Donald Trump by 13 percentage points in New York (55 percent to 42).

There is a procedure in place to ensure that New York will still award 28 electoral votes even if Adams is unable to hold office. Every vote in the electoral college appears to be crucial in the neck-and-neck race between Harris and Trump.

Bena said that if Adams cannot serve as presidential elector, New York’s remaining 27 electors would choose his successor.

“It’s not great, but it won’t cost Harris any votes,” Bena posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The Department of Justice is currently under the control of the Biden administration.

In his recorded statement, Adams attacked the federal government, accusing it of “doing nothing while its flawed immigration policies overwhelmed our housing system and provided no relief.”

However, in September 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed a series of laws to strengthen the democratic process in the state.

This includes the prohibition on “faithless electors” from influencing the outcome of a presidential election by not giving their vote to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes.

Anyone caught casting their electoral vote for a candidate who did not receive the highest number of votes will be forced to resign.

There is no indication that Adams intends to serve as a disloyal elector.

Before reports of the indictment arrived, Adams was already facing calls for his resignation from members of his party as federal corruption investigations into his administration were underway.

In his statement, Adams said: “If I am charged – I know I am innocent – I will demand a prompt trial so that New Yorkers can know the truth.”

“If I’m charged, many will say I should resign because I can’t lead the city while fighting the case. I also understand that New Yorkers are generally concerned that I can’t do my job while I’m under indictment.

“But I have been confronted with these lies for months, since I began speaking for all of you and your investigation began. Yet the situation in the city has continued to improve.”

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams is expected to announce the charges against Adams today.