Gotham Gazette

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Elections

Elections

  • WATCH: Democratic Primary Challengers Debate in New York's 12th Congressional District

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    Left to right: Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Suraj Patel, Pete Harrison, Lauren Ashcraft


    The Democratic primary in New York's 12th Congressional District features incumbent Rep. Carolyn Maloney and three challengers: Suraj Patel, Peter Harrison, and Lauren Ashcraft. All four candidates were set to debate Monday night, but Maloney canceled the day of the debate due to illness. Her three challengers met to discuss a variety of issues and strategies in a debate hosted by Empire State Indivisible and moderated by Gotham Gazette's Ben Max. Watch the debate below.

    All Democratic

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  • Competitive Queens Primary in District Ravaged by Coronavirus Strikes Familiar Themes

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    Assemblymember Michael DenDekker (photo: @mgdendekker)


    A Queens State Assembly member faces stiff competition this primary election cycle, and for the first time in his 12-year legislative career.

    Assemblymember Michael DenDekker, who represents parts of Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and Woodside in Assembly District 34, is aiming to survive four Democratic challengers for his seat in this month’s party primary election. The race follows a larger trend that accelerated in 2018, with one or more challengers running from the left, and often promising to bring more

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  • WATCH: Clarke Debates Democratic Primary Challengers in New York's 9th Congressional District

    Gotham Gazette:

    Left to right: Yvette Clarke, Adem Bunkeddeko, Isiah James, and Lutchi Gayot


    Representative Yvette Clarke is facing four challengers in this month's Democratic primary in New York's 9th Congressional District, which includes a large swathe of central and southern Brooklyn. Clarke and three of those opponents -- Adem Bunkeddeko, Isiah James, and Luchi Gayot -- met for a virtual debate on the evening of Sunday, June 7. The debate was hosted by South Central Brooklyn United for Progress; Pakastini American Youth Society; Brooklyn Movement Center; and Greater Prospect Heights Mutual Aid; and

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  • Democratic Voters are Electing Presidential Delegates; Here’s How It Works and What It Means

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    Electors voting in Albany in 2016 (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin/Governor's Office)


    The Presidential Primary is complicated. As New York State’s failed attempt to cancel it shows, there’s more at stake than just the Democratic nominee. Instead, hundreds of delegates are running around the country in their own right to give their communities a seat at the table.

    So, what do delegates do? And why, in New York, can you vote for presidential candidates and delegates separately?

    Selecting the Party nominee for President
    When you vote for the

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  • Fierce Competition as Upstarts and Assembly Member Vie for Brooklyn State Senate Nomination

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    Left to right: Tremaine Wright, Jason Salmon, Jabari Brisport


    Brooklyn State Senator Velmanette Montgomery’s January retirement announcement created an opening for a coveted seat in the upper house of the State Legislature, leading to a fierce Democratic primary that is set to be decided this month.

    Given the overwhelming Democratic enrollment advantage in the 25th State Senate District, where Montgomery has been the senator since 1985, the primary

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  • Voting Absentee is Complicated; How to Make Sure Your Vote Counts

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    Absentee voting is complicatd (image via @kimmosc)


    NOTE - 10/16/2020: You likely arrived here looking for information about absentee voting in the 2020 general election in New York. The article further down below was originally published before the June primaries, but we’ve added an update here at the top  - some of the steps are the same but there are several important changes to be aware of:

    All

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  • Rep. Yvette Clarke Faces Several Democratic Primary Challengers: Watch the NY-9 Candidates Debate on Sunday June 7

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    Left to right: Yvette Clarke, Adem Bunkeddeko, Isiah James, and Lutchi Gayot


    Four of the five candidates in the Democratic primary for New York's 9th Congressional District, which includes a long swath of central and southern Brooklyn, will debate on Sunday, June 7, from 7-8:30 p.m. Incumbent Rep. Yvette Clarke will debate three of her four challengers: Adem Bunkeddeko, Isiah James, and Lutchi Gayot, while the other challenger, Chaim Deutsch has not agreed to participate.

    The debate is hosted by the Pakistani American Youth Society, South Central

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  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney Faces 3 Democratic Primary Challengers: Watch the NY-12 Candidates Debate on Monday June 8

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    Left to right: Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Suraj Patel, Pete Harrison, Lauren Ashcraft


    UPDATE: This debate occurred on June 8, among the three challengers after Rep. Maloney backed out the day of the debate due to illness. Watch the debate video here.

    The four candidates running the Democratic primary in New York's 12th Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, and is currently

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Lindsey Boylan on Her Bid to Unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in NY-10

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    Lindsey Boylan (photo: @LindseyBoylan)


    June 03, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Lindsey Boylan on Her Bid to Unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in NY-10

    lb inset 150Lindsey Boylan is running in the Democratic Party primary to unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York's 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Boylan joined the show to discuss her campaign. Voting

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Jonathan Herzog on His Bid to Unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in NY-10

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    Jonathan Herzog (photo: @JonathanHerzog5)


    June 03, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Jonathan Herzog on His Bid to Unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in NY-10

    jh inset 150Jonathan Herzog is running in the Democratic Party primary to unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York's 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Herzog joined the show to discuss his campaign. Voting will take

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  • WATCH: Engel Debates Democratic Primary Challengers in New York's 16th Congressional District

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    Rep. Eliot Engel (photo: @RepEliotEngel)


    Representative Eliot Engel of the Bronx and Westchester faced three Democratic primary opponents in a Tuesday evening debate hosted by BronxNet TV and the League of Women Voters of New York State, among other partners. Engel, who has held the seat since 1989, is running for reelection and debated opponents Jamaal Bowman, Sammy Ravelo, and Chris Fink. The debate was moderated by BronxTalk host Gary Axelbank.

    Engel was repeatedly attacked by Bowman, a school principal who is running as a progressive alternative with

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  • Progressive Coalition Backs Slate of Incumbents, Challengers and Upstarts in June Primaries

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    Endorsed candidates (image via True Blue NY)


    A coalition of progressive activists from across the state, which formed as a response to Donald Trump’s election and helped tip the balance of the state Legislature towards Democrats in 2018, is backing a slate of Democratic candidates in the June primary election to propel movement on issues of social, economic, and racial justice that they feel have been ignored by the current state government.

    The True Blue NY coalition scored a progressive coup in the last state election cycle by helping elect several progressive

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  • The Deadline to Register to Vote in June is Friday - and Other Key 2020 Primary Election Info

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    Register to vote by Friday May 29 (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    New York’s primary election is less than a month away on, June 23, preceded by early voting June 13-21, and with all eligible voters allowed to vote absentee due to the coronavirus pandemic. The deadline for new voters to register is this Friday, May 29 [Find more info here].

    There are state legislative,

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  • Voting in a Pandemic: How New York, and New Yorkers, Must Lead the Way

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    New York has made some adjustments to voting amid COVID-19 (photo: governor's office)


    This guest column is part of Citizens Union Speakers, a regular series of op-eds written by members of the Citizens Union Foundation

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Lutchi Gayot Runs Again in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District

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    (photo: Luctchi Gayot campaign)


    lutchi gayot 150May 20, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Lutchi Gayot Runs Again in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District

    Lutchi Gayot ran on the Republican line against Rep. Yvette Clarke in 2018, seeking to represent Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District, but is running this year against Clarke and others in the Democratic primary, which will take place in June.

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Isiah James Runs for Congress in Brooklyn's 9th District

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    (photo: Isiah James)


    May 20, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Isiah James Runs for Congress in Brooklyn's 9th District

    isiah james wbaiIsiah James is an Army veteran and community organizer running in the Democratic primary in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District, where he is one of four challengers seeking to unseat Rep. Yvette Clarke. James joined the show to discuss his

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  • WATCH: Ocasio-Cortez Debates Democratic Primary Challengers in New York's 14th Congressional District

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    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (photo: ocasiocortez.com)


    Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of Queens and the Bronx faced three Democratic primary opponents in a Monday evening debate hosted by BronxNet TV and the League of Women Voters of New York State. Ocasio-Cortez, running for reelection for the first time after stunning the world in 2018 by unseating Rep. Joe Crowley in New York's 14th Congressional District, debated opponents Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Badrun N. Khan, and Samuel H. Sloan. The debate was moderated by BronxTalk host Gary

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  • WATCH: Democratic Primary Debate in the Bronx's 15th Congressional District

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    left to right: (top) Michael Blake, Chivona Newsome, Frangell Basora, Samelys Lopez
    (bottom): Melissa Mark-Viverito, Tomas Ramos, Ydanis Rodriguez, Ritchie Torres


    On Thursday, May 14, eight Democratic candidates vying to replace retiring Bronx Congressional Rep. José E. Serrano met for an online debate hosted by Gotham Gazette, City Limits, The Point CDC, and other partners.

    The debate, watched by hundreds on Zoom and Facebook Live, with a Spanish translation phone line, can be viewed via the embedded video below.

    Participating candidates were

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Adem Bunkeddeko Runs Again in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District

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    Adem Bunkeddeko out campaigning (photo: @adembunkeddeko)


    May 13, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Adem Bunkeddeko Runs Again in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District

    adem bunkeddeko140wbaiAdem Bunkeddeko almost upset Rep. Yvette Clarke in the 2018 Democratic primary in Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District, coming within about 2,000 votes, and is trying again this year. He joined the show to

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Rep. Yvette Clarke on Why She Deserves Another Term in Congress

     

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    Rep. Yvette Clarke (photo: @RepYvetteClarke)


    May 13, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Rep. Yvette Clarke on Why She Deserves Another Term in Congress

    yvette clarke wbaiRep. Yvette Clarke survived a close challenge in 2018, where in the Democratic primary the incumbent won by 2,000 votes against challenger Adem Bunkeddeko. As Clarke pursues another two-year term

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  • Stringer Takes Veiled Shot at Johnson: Being Mayor 'Not About Dancing Around'

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    Scott Stringer, center, with Corey Johnson, left (photo: @NYCComptroller)
    (photo below: John McCarten/City Council)


    With just over a year until the 2021 Democratic primary that will likely decide who becomes New York City’s next mayor, one of the leading contenders, Comptroller Scott Stringer, in a recent interview took an unmistakable jab at another, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, while previewing his argument that he is best suited for the job.

    Stringer has had his eye on the mayoralty for years and is finally making his run,

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  • Intense Competition for 'Open' Bronx Congressional Seat: Watch the District 15 Democratic Debate on Thursday May 14

    Michael Blake, Renee Chivona, Ruben Diaz Sr., Samelys Lopez, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Tomas Ramos, Ydanis Rodriguez, Ritchie Torres

    left to right: (top) Michael Blake, Chivona Newsome, Ruben Diaz Sr., Samelys Lopez
    (bottom): Melissa Mark-Viverito, Tomas Ramos, Ydanis Rodriguez, Ritchie Torres


    With longtime Representative José E. Serrano retiring from Congress after 30 years due to health reasons, his seat in New York's 15th Congressional District is effectively open and a crowded field has formed in the Democratic primary, set to be decided in June. Given it is one of the most

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  • City’s Civic Engagement Commission Creates 11-Language Poll-Site Interpretation Plan for Fall Election

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    Voters will have greater access to interpreters at the polls this fall (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    The still-new New York City Civic Engagement Commission is set to launch a poll-site language assistance program for the fall general election, expanding on the limited interpretation services that are currently provided by the Board of Elections. 

    As required by the Voting Rights Act, the Board of Elections only provides interpreters to assist at poll sites in Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and Bengali. But New York City residents speak more

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  • A Decade of Voting in New York City: 21% of Registered Voters Didn’t Cast a Single Ballot; 3% Voted Every Time

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    Voters in New York City don't vote very much (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    New York has, in recent years, become known for low voter turnout, and while the arithmetic of getting voters to the polls has always been foggy, new findings shed light on both the details of the city's turnout problem and factors that impact which potential voters actually cast a ballot.

    Late last week, the New York City Campaign Finance Board released its latest Voter Analysis Report, an annual

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  • Communities Hit Hardest by Coronavirus Outbreak Have Had Lower Voter Turnout: Report

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     A new report looks at coronavirus and voter turnout correlations (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayor's Office)


    Neighborhoods with historically low voter participation are among the areas hit hardest by the novel coronavirus, according to a new analysis by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), a factor that threatens to compound the crisis' fallout in low-income communities of color.

    Four of the five zip codes with the highest rates of COVID-19 infection out of

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