With incumbent Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine running for city comptroller instead of seeking a second term, three Democrats are competing to replace him in the June 24 primary.
City Council Member Keith Powers, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and political newcomer Dr. Calvin Smith are each vying for the Democratic nomination. Powers and Hoylman-Sigal have outpaced Sun in fundraising and endorsements so far.
Still, the race remains open as all three candidates work to make their case to voters. The borough president’s role is largely ceremonial, but it comes with some discretionary funding and advisory power over land use decisions. The office also plays a key role in advocating for Manhattan’s interests across the city government.
Here’s a look a the candidates and their platforms:
Keith Powers
City Council Member Keith Powers is a lifelong Manhattan resident, born and raised in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, where he still lives. He has represented parts of the East Side — including Stuyvesant Town and Midtown — on the City Council since 2018. Now term-limited from running for re-election, Powers is seeking to bring his legislative experience to Borough Hall.
During his tenure, Powers has sponsored legislation to convert the city’s vehicle fleet to electric, strengthen animal protections, crack down on faulty e-bike batteries, and prevent landlords from conducting criminal background checks on tenants. He previously served as the Council’s majority leader and currently chairs the Rules Committee.
Powers’ campaign focuses on housing, child care, public safety and mental health. He supports building 100,000 new housing units, reviving the Mitchell-Lama program for middle-income housing, and removing barriers to development. His child care proposals include a citywide 2K program and expanded universal Pre-K and 3K.
He has also called for expanding mental health care by increasing inpatient beds and revising involuntary commitment standards. On public safety, Powers wants to boost neighborhood foot patrols, increase precinct staffing, address repeat offenders, and improve subway security. He has also proposed a free shuttle bus to LaGuardia Airport and expanded year-round OMNY card access for all students.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal
State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal has represented Manhattan in the New York Senate since 2013 and serves as chair of the chamber’s Judiciary Committee. He lives in Greenwich Village with his husband, David, and their two daughters.
Hoylman-Sigal previously ran for borough president in 2021, finishing second to Levine in the Democratic primary. In Albany, he has sponsored more than 350 bills on issues including tenant protections, mental health funding, e-bike safety, gun violence prevention and hate crime enforcement.
In 2023, he played a key role in the state Senate’s rejection of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s nominee to lead the state’s highest court and proposed ending Madison Square Garden’s longstanding property tax break.
His campaign emphasizes affordable housing, education, transportation and climate change. Hoylman-Sigal supports building new affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections, improving school access, and expanding pedestrian and cyclist safety. He has also pledged to pursue local responses to the climate crisis.
Calvin Sun
Dr. Calvin Sun is an emergency room physician and lifelong New Yorker running for office for the first time. He worked in the city’s safety-net hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and cites that experience — along with a recent recovery from cancer — as motivating his entry into public service.
Sun’s campaign focuses on public health, affordability, and emergency preparedness. He has proposed creating a city-run universal health care program to deliver preventive care and reduce hospital costs. He links housing and health outcomes, calling for more affordable housing, small business support, and tax relief for working families.
On education, Sun supports tuition-free community college, expanded early childhood programs, vocational training and financial literacy initiatives. He also emphasizes strengthening the city’s social safety nets and emergency response systems.
Sun briefly entered the 2025 race for public advocate earlier this year before withdrawing and joining the borough president contest. He presents his campaign as a public health-informed alternative to traditional political paths.
