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The Race ...

Brooklyn President

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Election Results ...

General Election Results

Marty Markowitz

Primary Results

No Primary

Candidates...

The Incumbent:
Marty Markowitz

General Election Challenger(s):
Theodore Alatsas
Gloria Mattera
Gary Popkin

Primary Election Challenger(s):

(Candidate Biographies below)

Campaign Finance Board General Election Voter Guide for Brooklyn President

Campaign Finance Board Voter Guide for Brooklyn President

Feature Articles ...

Markowitz's Slam Dunk

July 18, 2005

Trumpeting Junior's cheesecake, showing up at even the smallest community meeting, brandishing a light saber at school graduations, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz seems to spend 24 hours a day cheering on the city's largest borough and its residents.

Although he was viewed as a bit of a buffoon when he ran for borough president in his megaphone-equipped Martymobile four years ago, this time around he has the advantages of incumbency, visibility - and $1.5 million. He is unopposed in the September primary but will face three challengers in the general election.

Attorney Theodore Alatsas will run on the Republican and Conservative Party lines. Gloria Mattera of the Green Party and Libertarian Gary Popkin are also running.

While even Marty Markowitz lampoons the limited power of his office -- "this is what I can do," he says at neighborhood gatherings handing out certificates of appreciation -- Markowitz takes credit for launching the plan to bring the Nets basketball team to Brooklyn and developing the area around the proposed sports facility.

Thedore Alatsas, who has run unsuccessfully for district attorney and state assembly, supports the Nets arena. He said he is running to provide for economic development that "is sensitive to the needs of the community as well as to the idea of development." He would require that any new large-scale construction project make economic sense, be aesthetically appropriate and not create undue environmental, social and other costs to the affected communities.

Gloria Mattera, who ran unsuccessfully for the City Council, wants to limit development in Brooklyn -- she opposes the Atlantic Yards project, building so many high-rise luxury apartments on the borough waterfront, and a possible Wal-Mart in Coney Island. At the same time, she supports making the borough more environmentally friendly by creating more green space and encouraging technologies such as solar energy.

Gary Popkin, a retired teacher at New York City College of Technology and former community school board member, opposes spending tax dollars on the Nets arena at Atlantic Yards.

With no Democratic challengers, Marty Markowitz is considered the heavy favorite in the race, but he has gone out and raised more than $1.5 million for his campaign. Donors include unions, the owners of Astroland amusement park and executives of corporations, including Independence Community Trust, and Keyspan. Gloria Mattera has raised $4,349. Gary Popkin is not participating the campaign finance system and Theodore Alatsas said he probably will not.

Without a well-funded opponent, no one seems to know what Marty Markowitz plans to do with the money. He could roll some of it into a bid for a citywide office in 2009 when term limits will force him out of Brooklyn Borough Hall. But given Markowitz's strong identity with Brooklyn, rather than the city as a whole, observers consider that unlikely. As Markowitz himself might say, as he does on signs for those departing the borough, "Leaving Brooklyn? Fuggedaboutit!"

"The borough president is taking this race very seriously," his campaign manager, James Thompson said in an email In response to a query about Markowitz's plans for the money, his campaign manager said Marty Markowitz has no plans beyond running for borough president this year.

Candidate Bios ...

The Incumbent:

Marty Markowitz | Dem | WFP |
Marty Markowitz was elected as Brooklyn Borough President in 2001. Prior to that time, he served 11 consecutive terms as a New York State Senator. Markowitz also organized the group that became Brooklyn Housing and Family Services, New York State’s largest tenants’ advocacy organization. He founded the Fenimore Street Senior Center, the Ebbets Field Houses Senior Center, and the Senior Citizens League of Flatbush, the last of which he served as president from 1972 to 1978. He also co-founded the Flatbush Development Corporation.

Challenger(s):

Theodore Alatsas | Rep | Con |
Theodore Alatsas is an attorney in Brooklyn. He received a Bachelor's degree from New York University and a Law Degree from St. John's School of Law. In 2001, Alatsas ran unsuccessfully for District Attorney of Kings County and in 2002, he ran unsuccessfully for the State Assembly from District 24.

Gloria Mattera | Gre |
Gloria Mattera is currently co-chair of the Green Party of New York State, and was the Green Party candidate for City Council in District 39 in Brooklyn in 2001 and 2003.

Gary Popkin | LBT |
Gary Popkin is retired after teaching for 35 years at New York City College of Technology. He is now producing a weekly political talk show called Hardfire. Gary was elected to community school board 15 in Brooklyn in 1999, and is the temporary chair of the Kings County Affiliate of the Libertarian Party of New York.

Campaign Trail ...

Below are the latest Campaign Trail items for the Brooklyn President race. For the full Campaign Trail archive, go here

Democrats Start Scrambling to Fill Norman's Three Posts

September 29, 2005
The conviction of Clarence Norman Jr. has abruptly opened three positions in the political world of Brooklyn, and Democratic Party leaders in the borough spent yesterday in frenzied phone calls trying to determine how to fill them. (Daily News NY Post) (New York Times)

Markowitz for Mayor?

July 18, 2005
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has amassed a $1.5million war chest, and political insiders say he's talking about a run for City Hall. (Daily News)

Full Brooklyn President Campaign Trail Archive

Brooklyn President Campaign Trail in RSS format.