2023 New York City Council general election races to watch

[RandySF]

District 13

Southeast Bronx, including Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay and Morris Park

Incumbent Marjorie Velázquez (Democratic), Kristy Marmorato (Republican)

A Republican hasn’t been elected as a representative in the Bronx over the past 20 years, but if it were to happen anywhere, it could very well be in District 13. Incumbent Democrat Marjorie Velázquez, who defended her seat against three primary challengers in June, is expected to face a competitive challenge from first-time political candidate Kristy Marmorato, an X-ray technician who could benefit from her strong ties to the borough’s Republican Party. Marmorato’s brother is Bronx Republican Party Chair Michael Rendino – and his endorsement drew some flak during her own competitive primary – and her husband, Gino Marmorato, is the Bronx GOP commissioner for the New York City Board of Elections.



District 19

Northeast Queens, including College Point, Whitestone and Bayside

Incumbent Vickie Paladino (Republican, Conservative, Common Sense Party), Tony Avella (Democratic, Taxpayers Unite)

It’s Paladino vs. Avella round three – the most competitive of the council rematches this year. Vickie Paladino, a Trump-supporting Republican, defeated former Democratic state senator and former New York City Council Member Tony Avella in this Northeast Queens district by a couple hundred votes in 2021. Two years later, and with no candidates at the top of the ticket to boost turnout, Paladino comes in with an incumbent’s advantage. Though her anti-LGBTQ statements and focus on issues like drag queen story hour events could be alienating to moderate voters, Paladino has been active on quality-of-life issues in the district, one Queens insider said.



District 20

Queens, including Flushing, Queensboro Hill and Murray Hill

Incumbent Sandra Ung (Democratic), Yu-Ching James Pai (Republican, Conservative, Medical Freedom Party, Common Sense Party), Jin Liang Chen (Better Flushing Party)

In another rematch, Democratic New York City Council Member Sandra Ung is facing a challenge from Republican Yu-Ching James Pai, an accountant who lost to Ung by a couple thousand votes in 2021. Even with her decent margin of victory last time around, Ung is running a robust campaign in the district, which showed impressive turnout for Republicans in both the 2021 mayoral race and last year’s race for governor. Last year, Democratic Assembly Member Ron Kim only narrowly won reelection in an overlapping district.



District 23

Eastern Queens, including Hollis, Douglaston and Bellerose

Incumbent Linda Lee (Democratic), Bernard Chow (Republican, Conservative, Medical Freedom Party, Common Sense Party, Parent Party)

Democratic New York City Council Member Linda Lee took the 2021 election in this eastern Queens seat with plenty of breathing room, earning well over half the vote to defeat Republican James Reilly. Lee, a former nonprofit executive and chair of the City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disability and Addiction, is well positioned this November. But District 23 is one of those seats that Democrats can’t neglect in a year where Republicans will be hoping for a “red wave.”



District 29

Central Queens, including Kew Gardens, Rego Park and Forest Hills

Incumbent Lynn Schulman (Democratic), Danniel Maio (Republican, Conservative), Sukhi Singh (Common Sense Party)

Democratic New York City Council Member Lynn Schulman won election to the council by a comfortable margin in 2021, but she’s not taking reelection for granted. This diverse Queens district picked up a significant part of Richmond Hill during redistricting, and it’s still heavily Democratic though it has some more conservative pockets. Schulman faces two opponents this year; Republican Danniel Maio, a perennial candidate who has not raised much money so far, and Sukhi Singh, a Democrat who lost in the primary and is now running on the Common Sense Party line.



District 43

Southern Brooklyn, including Sunset Park, Bensonhurst and Gravesend

Susan Zhuang (Democratic), Ying Tan (Republican), Vito LaBella (Conservative)

Meet New York City’s newest council district. Freshly created by the New York City Districting Commission, the district was drawn with a majority Asian American population. Any open seat is worth watching. But smack dab in the middle of southern Brooklyn – the site of several Republican upsets in 2022 and home to voters who don’t hold strong party affiliations – this race could be one of the most competitive this year. That is, if the two Republicans actively campaigning in the race don’t split the conservative vote to the benefit of Democrat Susan Zhuang.



District 47

Southern Brooklyn, including Bay Ridge, Coney Island and Sea Gate

Incumbent Justin Brannan (Democratic), Incumbent Ari Kagan (Republican, Conservative, Parent Party)

Most of the candidates in competitive races this year don’t face the risk of awkwardly running into their opponent at work the day after bashing them online or attacking them in the press. The same can’t be said for New York City Council Members Justin Brannan and Ari Kagan – two incumbents facing off after a redistricting shake-up and a party switch by Kagan.



District 48

Southern Brooklyn, including Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Sheepshead Bay

Incumbent Inna Vernikov (Republican, Conservative), Amber Adler (Democratic, We the People Party)

Republican New York City Council Member Inna Vernikov, a Jewish Ukrainian American lawyer, was soundly elected in 2021. She has since reinforced her reputation as a staunch conservative who has both supported and been backed by former President Donald Trump. Still, her reelection is not necessarily guaranteed in this southern Brooklyn district, which is home to many Orthodox Jews as well as Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. Amber Adler, a civic leader and Orthodox Jewish woman who has advocated for women stuck in unwanted marriages, among other causes, is again vying for the seat two years after placing third among a crowded field of candidates during the 2021 Democratic primary.





https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2023/09/2023-new-york-city-council-general-election-races-watch/390361/

[RandySF]

1. Candidate Links

Marjorie Velázquez - https://www.mvelaz.nyc

Tony Avella - https://tonyavella2023.com

Sandra Ung - https://sandrafornewyork.com/

Linda Lee - https://lindaleefornyc.com/

Lynn Schulman - https://lynnschulman.com/

Susan Zhuang - https://susan4ny.com

Justin Brannan - https://justinbrannan.com

Amber Adler - https://amberadler.com