What to expect in NYC Council primaries as early voting opens Saturday
New York City Council seats are up for grabs in the upcoming June 27th primary election, with early voting beginning on Saturday. This election cycle is taking place two years after the 2021 elections, due to the recent redistricting involving New York City Council seats. The redistricting has triggered some competitive races, with at least 10 competitive primary races across the city.
For the second election cycle, the city Board of Elections will use rank-choice voting to determine a winner if the leading candidate gets less than 50% of the vote. Here are some of the key primary races to watch across the five boroughs:
Manhattan:
District 9 Central Harlem, Democratic primary
After the Democratic socialist Councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan announced she would not seek re-election, three main contenders remain in the race: Yusef Salaam, who was exonerated in the infamous Central Park 5 rape case, and Assembly members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor.
District 1: Downtown, Democratic primary
Incumbent Chris Marte faces two major challengers to continue representing the Lower East Side, Chinatown and downtown Manhattan.
Brooklyn:
District 43 Southern Brooklyn Democratic primary
Redistricting created a new seat that’s a majority Asian district. Records show the seat is home to 54% Asian voters. The three-way primary includes candidates Wai Yee Chan, Stanley Ng, and Susan Zhuang.
Republican primary
Ying Tan, another community activist, faces off against Vito LaBella, a retired lieutenant with the NYPD who previously ran for the state Senate.
District 42: East New York, Democratic primary
Incumbent Charles Barron, the iconoclastic ex-Black Panther, faces a stiff union-backed challenge from Chris Banks.
District 41 Brownsville and parts of Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant, Democratic primary
Councilwoman Darlene Mealy, serving her third term, faces a spirited primary from Isis McIntosh Green and Jamilah Rose, a grant writer.
District 47 Bay Ridge, Coney Island and parts of Bath Beach, Republican primary
Democrat-turned Republican Councilman Ari Kagan faces challenges from two Republicans.
Queens:
District 19 Northeast Queens, Democratic primary
Former Democrat city Councilman and state Sen. Tony Avella is favored to win the primary and have a general election rematch against Republican Councilwoman Vicki Paladino. Other candidates include Queens prosecutor and first-generation Korean-American Christopher Bae and urban-affairs planner and neighborhood activist Paul Graziano.
The Bronx:
District 13 East Bronx, Democratic primary
Dem incumbent Marjorie Velázquez faces Irene Estrada, chairwoman of Bronx Community Board 11, Van Nest neighborhood activist Bernadette Ferrara, and Army vet John Perez.
Republican primary
The Bronx GOP believes it has a shot to take the seat in the more moderate law-and-order district. The GOP primary has three candidates on the ballot.
FAQs:
What is rank-choice voting?
Rank-choice voting is a system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference, rather than choosing just one candidate. This system is used when the leading candidate gets less than 50% of the vote.
Why is this election cycle taking place two years after the 2021 elections?
This election cycle is taking place two years after the 2021 elections due to recent redistricting involving New York City Council seats.
Who are some of the key candidates to watch in the primary races?
Some of the key candidates to watch include Yusef Salaam and Assembly members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor in District 9, and former Democrat city Councilman and state Sen. Tony Avella in District 19.
As early voting begins Saturday, here’s what you can anticipate in the NYC Council primaries.
The New York City Council’s recent redistricting has sparked several competitive primary races set to occur on June 27th, with early voting beginning this Saturday. Typically held every four years, this year’s cycle follows last year’s re-mapping of the legislative districts. The 2021 election will be the second one utilizing rank-choice voting, which determines a winner if the leading candidate receives less than 50% of the vote. At least 10 primary races will be closely watched, including those in Manhattan’s District 9 Central Harlem and District 1 Downtown.
In a surprising move, Democratic socialist Councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan announced that she will not seek re-election in Central Harlem’s District 9. This left the remaining main contenders, Yusef Salaam, Assembly members Inez Dickens, and Al Taylor, to battle it out for the seat. Commentators have posited that the vote will come down between Salaam, who has the backing of Democratic Party leader Keith Wright and the support of the city’s left-wing activists, and Dickens, a prominent uptown fixture with deep ties to Harlem civic institutions.
Expect some drama in Brooklyn’s District 42 as incumbent Charles Barron, an iconoclastic ex-Black Panther, faces off against union-backed Chris Banks. The two challengers, Barron and his wife, have represented the district in either City Hall or the state legislature since 2002. They entered the contest with Banks virtually tied in fundraising at $87,000 to $79,000, respectively.
Queens’ District 13 East Bronx, which includes the neighborhoods of Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, Morris Park, Westchester Square, and City Island, will see Dem incumbent Marjorie Velázquez face off against Bronx Community Board 11 Chairwoman Irene Estrada, Van Nest neighborhood activist Bernadette Ferrara, and Army vet John Perez.
The upcoming elections also have implications for the general election in November, as two current council members – Republican Ari Kagan and Democrat Justin Brannan – could end up competing head-to-head in the general election, after redistricting.
All told, the 2021 race is expected to feature at least 10 competitive primary races in New York City, including hotly contested battles in several boroughs.