One of the tightest races in New York City’s Democratic primaries is unfolding in Manhattan’s District 4, where Virginia Maloney, Vanessa Aronson, and Rachel Storch are locked in a razor-thin, three-way battle for a City Council seat—with no candidate anywhere near the 50 percent threshold required to win outright.
On Tuesday night, the NYC Board of Elections released preliminary results showing only first-choice votes. In some City Council races, those tallies were enough to declare a winner. In others, they pointed to a likely frontrunner. But in District 4, no candidate holds a clear lead. Virginia Maloney currently leads with 26.79%, followed closely by Vanessa Aronson with 25.45%, and Rachel Storch with 22.81%—with just 363 votes separating the top two—leaving the outcome wide open.
Under the city’s ranked-choice voting system, voters can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Ballots cast for that candidate are then redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the next-ranked preference.
This process repeats in rounds until one candidate crosses the 50% threshold and is declared the winner. In District 4, no candidate appears close to the 50% mark, meaning the race will likely be decided in the later rounds.
No incumbent in the race
Unlike other races in the city, the District 4 City Council seat does not have an incumbent running for reelection.
Keith Powers currently holds the seat but cannot run again due to term limits. He was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. Because of redistricting and changes to the New York City Charter enacted in 2020, council members elected in 2021 and 2023 will serve two-year terms, with full four-year terms resuming after this year’s elections.
A diverse and dynamic district
District 4 covers a large section of Manhattan’s East Side, encompassing neighborhoods with diverse demographics. It includes the Upper East Side and stretches south to Midtown, Times Square, Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, and Koreatown.
Who are the leading candidates?
Virginia Maloney, currently leading the race by a slight margin, is a technology and public policy professional with experience in city tech initiatives under Mayor Bloomberg. A native East Sider, Maloney is running for the City Council seat once held by her mother, former Rep. Carolyn Maloney.
Maloney’s campaign centers on making New York more “Accountable, Affordable, and Accessible,” with a focus on public safety, government reform, and affordability. She hopes to “bring tech-sector oversight to the budget” and reduce waste.
Maloney seeks to enhance police and fire resources, improve community policing, and regulate electric bicycles. She supports preserving housing affordability, expanding access to healthcare and mental health services, and preventing the closure of Beth Israel Hospital.
She also supports Pre-K and STEM expansion, improved mental health support in schools, and full ADA compliance in subways, as well as the extension of the Second Avenue Subway.
Following closely behind Maloney is Vanessa Aronson, a former public school teacher, U.S. Foreign Service Officer, and president of the Lexington Democratic Club. Aronson is making her second bid for the District 4 City Council seat with a platform centered on ethics reform, public safety, climate action, housing, and education.
On government reform, Aronson seeks to “End Pay-to-Play Politics” and wants to strengthen ethics and transparency in city operations. Her public safety plan includes more support for hate crime victims and stronger e-bike safety regulations.
She also aims to combat antisemitism. Her climate plan emphasizes enforcing Local Law 97, the city’s emissions reduction mandate, and creating a dedicated Office of Climate Resiliency.
On housing, Aronson supports affordable housing protections and encourages office-to-residential conversions to ease the housing crisis. In education, she prioritizes student safety, mental health resources, and expanded access to pre-K.
Third in the race is Rachel Storch. Storch is a former Missouri state representative, legal aid attorney, and Synagogue leader. Storch emphasizes that “ensuring public safety is the most essential responsibility of any elected official.” Her platform focuses on safe streets, affordable housing, better schools, and strong social services.
Her campaign priorities include housing, education, reproductive rights, and support for small businesses. She aims to fully fund the police while concentrating on crime prevention, mental health services, and addressing hate crimes.
On housing, Storch aims to preserve rent-stabilized and Mitchell-Lama units while also promoting homeownership. For education, she supports reducing class sizes, upgrading school facilities, expanding pre-K programs, and strengthening special education.
In support of small businesses, she plans to cut red tape, establish a Small Business Ombudsman, and reform restaurant permitting. Storch also has a strong pro-choice record.
