Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the special election will be held March 24 (Mayor’s Office)
Jan. 3, 2019 By Christian Murray
The special election for Queens borough president has been set for March 24, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last night.
Five candidates are vying for the spot that was exited by Melinda Katz when she became Queens District Attorney Jan. 1.
Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer, Donovan Richards and Costa Constantinides seek the job along with former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and Anthony Miranda, a retired NYPD sergeant and police reform advocate.
On Monday, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman dropped out of the race to get behind Donovan Richards who has the backing of the Queens County Democratic party. Both are African Americans from south east Queens.
The candidates now have 12 days to secure 2,000 valid signatures in order to get on the ballot.
The borough president appoints half the members of the 14 community boards in Queens; gets an advisory say on proposed rezonings; allocates millions of dollars on parks, education and other programs; and is an advocate for the borough.
The position pays $179,200 per year.
Katz’s deputy, Sharon Lee, is currently serving as acting borough president.
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17 Comments
There is one Republican running, Daniel Maio.
Readers should see the January 3 article in thecity.nyc for an explanation of the crazy sequence of elections and primaries needed to permanently fill the job of Queens Borough President.
The March 24 special election is part 1 of 5 steps in this dance.
Ironic that this is the Year of the Rat.
Roxy, Call the Queens Board of Elections about details for the March 24 special election. This is not a citywide election. Gotta be registered to vote in Queens.
Looks like there’s a new entrant to the race: Former ADA James Quinn.
DeBlazio
I don’t know how you are still in charge but please and mean please step down and remove yourself from politics… I don’t know anyone that supports what you have been doing and the language used is not friendly either. You have done a great disservice to all boroughs and just like your presidential campaign you have to know when to quit. You have let millions down man millions.
Every negative statistical category has gone up under you and the divisiveness is just as stark.
Do us all a favor and retire…
How will the election be conducted? Who is eligible to vote? Must one show proof of residency in Queens?
So many questions, but no answers so far.
There was a time decades ago when the Queens Republican Party was alive and well. Up until the 1980’s, Queens Republicans routinely qualified candidates for all Congressional, State Senate, Assembly, Boro President and NYC Council seats. During Mayor Rudy Guilian’s term in the 1990’s, they elected three NYC Counci lmembers Tom Olgibene, Mike Abel and Alfonse Stabile from Queens. Today the last GOP public official from Queens is NYC Council member Eric Ulrich. Due to term limits, he will serve until December 31, 2001. With over 125,000 registered Queens GOP voters, can they quality a candidate for Queens Borough President in this non partisan special election? Edgar Nathan was the last GOP Queens borough president who served from 1942 – 1945. Nat Hentel was the last GOP District Attorney in 1970.
Five Democrats running in this special election are going to split the vote which could give one Republican a chance to win. You would think that Republicans would find a candidate. Not doing so, will result in the remaining Queens Republicans continuing on the same path of an old fashion street corner telephone booth into extinction .
Larry Penner
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– Small bussiness closed
– Criminals outside
– More shelters randomly
– Better transportation? Nahhh…. social media needs people complaining about the 7 train
– Pay more taxes because we say it.
What a waste of democracy
QB Candidates forum @ Sunnyside Community Services is Tuesday, Jan. 14 @ 6:30PM.
The rest want to build mega jails in peaceful residential communities.
Can somebody tell me when DeBlasio’s term is going to end. I’m tired of this guy
For all that money, you’d think they would be beholden to no one…
What’s even sadder is that the winning candidate will get paid $179,200 a year doing squat for this neighborhood.
Could you provide us with a thumbnail sketch of why each candidate is garbage? You’d be doing all the voters a service. Thanks!
Per City and State, the winner of the special election has to compete again in a June primary, and then win a November general election in order to serve the rest of Katz’s term through 2021.
What a cesspool of garbage candidates. You can forget about the retired cop, he has no chance. Not with these pro criminal citizens we have here. I guess anybody but van bremer at this point. Like George Carlin once said about voting,
GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT