Opinion

Party time!

Asked to choose between an accused criminal and a howling-at-the-moon loon, Queens voters Tuesday sent the alleged crook back to the City Council — where he’ll no doubt feel right at home.

Ruben Wills, who faces criminal charges going back to the ’90s, is now the Democratic nominee for the 28th council district.

There being no Republican in the race, councilmembers are now certain to have one of their own, so to speak, rejoin them.

Wills, who picked up the seat in a special election last year after Councilman Thomas White died, won in a landslide Tuesday with 67 percent of the vote — compared to just 17 percent for the runner-up, ex-Councilman Allan Jennings.

Wills faces criminal charges in two separate cases — including one dating to 1996 for petty larceny, criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

But, hey, such a record makes him ideal for the council, which is known for its routine grand theft (the legalized version, anyway) of taxpayer money.

For voters in Queens, of course, it’s all Standard Operating Procedure.

Indeed, second-place-finisher Jennings’ bizarre record puts even Wills to shame: The ex-councilman, recall, was driven from office after being accused of a string of whacko acts, including throwing a chunk of metal at a reporter, sexual harassment and running ads proclaiming his love for Asian women.

Heck, even the council censured him.

No matter. What counts most for voters in these parts is the “D” for Democrat alongside a candidate’s name. Voters here cast their ballots for Dems so reflexively that not a single Republican even dares to mount a challenge for Wills’ seat.

And that’s another reason why Republican Bob Turner’s win this week in the nearby 9th Congressional District is so stunning.

Like the 28th council district, NY-9 is so genetically Democratic that it didn’t elect a GOPer in nearly a century — until Turner.

And Dems — like White House spokesman Jay Carney yesterday — deny this was a referendum on President Obama? Please.

“It’s a very difficult district for Democrats,” said Democratic National Committee chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz, laughably trying to excuse the NY-9 loss.

Yes, Democrats — as Wills’ unopposed bid suggests — may still own this town.

But Turner’s victory is clear proof that — when it comes to Democratic loyalty — even New Yorkers have limits.