Primary day is Tuesday. You don’t want to miss it.
We know this one doesn’t feel like it has the high stakes that elections did way back in 2016. Remember then? There was a tough presidential campaign. Regardless of the way you voted in that contest and any frustrations you’ve had since then, your vote still matters. That’s all the more reason to hit the polls on Tuesday.
You must be a registered member of a party to vote in its primary. There are a few contests within the Green and Republican parties, but almost all are Democratic races. The top of the ballot is the Democratic mayoral primary. Mayor Bill de Blasio faces former City Council member Sal Albanese, criminal justice reform advocate Bob Gangi, entrepreneur Mike Tolkin, and lawyer and longtime community board member Richard Bashner. It’s not the crowded and competitive field of 2013. But you deserve to have your voice considered in the race for NYC’s most consequential office.
For many races, Tuesday is more important than Election Day. Depending on where you live, there are competitive Democratic primaries that will effectively choose the next officeholders, given NYC’s partisan voter base. That includes a race for Brooklyn’s district attorney, who will have influence over the dispensing of justice.
More than 30 City Council seats have competitive primaries, some with real choices featuring newcomers, known names, and former State Sen. Hiram Monserrate, the felon who diverted government funds and bloodied his companion, dragging her in a videotaped incident.
The council candidates you choose will shape the city budget and cast their own votes to choose a new council speaker. That newcomer (the current speaker is term-limited) will have significant power to work with or oppose the mayor. Another position with similar visibility is directly on the primary ballot: public advocate, including incumbent Letitia James and challenger David Eisenbach.
All of which is to say there are more reasons than the “I voted” sticker to visit the polls, open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find your voting location and other information at voting.nyc. And hey, the sticker’s new this year, too.
