In recent memory, most advocates and political observers cannot recall a sleepier election year. There are no citywide races. There are no real contests in the City Council. The ballot question doesn't even affect New York City residents.

The hottest race in town is for district attorney on Staten Island (who would have thought?)

Every three or four years, there is an off-election year, where voters are left to ponder judicial races with candidates handpicked by party bosses and large conventions. But this year, political observers said, there seems to be even less than usual.

Political junkies, though, can look forward to the next three general elections: a presidential election in '08; citywide races, including the mayoral race, in '09; and then the gubernatorial race in 2010. But for now many will be left listless, wandering their polling places desperately seeking some political furor.

For results of these races, come to Gotham Gazette this week as returns become available.

--Holding an Election

--Voter Turnout

--The District Attorney Race

--Surrogate Court

--City Council

--Supreme Court

--Civil Court

--The Ballot Question

--Voter Information

The Machinery of Democracy

Although there is a lack of controversial races this year, the process goes on, and it is not cheap. The cost of running an election in the city is between $15 million and $16 million, according to the Board of Elections.

The city, for all elections, recruits approximately 35,000 poll workers and each gets a $200 stipend, officials at the board said. The poll worker stipends add up to about $7 million.

The cost for a primary and general election, said Valerie Vasquez Rivera, the board's communications director, tend to be comparable. During a primary, she added, the board must print a larger variety of ballots; during a general election, they must recruit more poll workers.

Given such costs, some have argued that sleepy election cycles should be eliminated and elections consolidated.

"Would you save money?" asked Neal Rosenstein, an election specialist at the New York Public Interest Research Group. "Yes. Would you increase turnout in the lesser-known judgeships? Would the folks that are voting on those races be more informed?"

That is debatable, he added. "The proponents of off year elections have always said it allows voters to focus on those elections," said Rosenstein.

Before the primary, the New York City Board of Elections mailed reminders to the city's nearly 3.8 million registered voters. The cost of all of the board's literature, sent out in English, Spanish, Korean and Chinese, said Vasquez Rivera, is $1.2 million.

The city's Campaign Finance Board sends more detailed voter guides in multiple languages to registered voters. The latest figures it had for the cost of those brochures, a spokesperson said, was in 2005, when the board sent 5 million out for 50 cents each. This year, because there are significantly less races, far fewer were sent out.

Though a general election comes with a fairly large bill, factor in a primary and the several special elections bound to pop up in a single year and the check could be significant.

But it's all for democracy -- right?

Voter Participation

In recent years, voter turnout has stagnated at approximately 36 percent in the city for a general election. During the 2004 presidential race, that number jumped to 65 percent. But for a primary, that number is far lower.

The most hotly contested race in September was the Democratic contest for Surrogate Court judge in Brooklyn. Only 5 percent of voters turned out. During judicial contests, said Adrienne Kivelson, an election specialist at the League of Women Voters of the City of New York, most voters ignore the political process, and many who do pull the lever are likely to be involved in party politics.

"People are really not informed of who these judges are," said Kivelson. "It doesn't have the kind of attention that other elections have. I think that it's unfortunate."

Officials at the Board of Elections are not expecting fireworks on Tuesday. The process will be the same as any other general election, said Vasquez Rivera, but a little lighter.

At the New York Public Interest Research Group, Rosenstein said they would continue to operate their voter help hotline. But, he added, he expects a "sleepy" day.

"In 2004, there were 3,000 phone calls on our help line," he said. "This year, I'm hoping for three."

For those who do want to vote, or follow the races that are taking place, here's a summary.

District Attorneys

Officially three of New York City's five district attorneys are up for re-election this year: Richard Brown in Queens, Robert Johnson in the Bronx and Daniel Donovan on Staten Island. But neither Johnson nor Brown has any opposition on Tuesday. (The other two district attorneys -- Manhattan's Robert Morgenthau and Brooklyn's Charles Hynes will not face the voters until 2009 when Morgenthau will be 90 -- and he has reportedly been raising money for a re-election bid.)

District attorneys serve as the top prosecutors and chief law enforcement officers in their counties, investigating and prosecuting violations of city and state law. (For more on what a district attorney does, see The DA's of New York.)

On the Staten Island, there is a real contest for this post. Incumbent Donovan would seem to be a shoo-in for re-election: He won handily in 2003, borough-wide races there often go to a Republican, and he has been described as "rising star" of a party that clearly needs them. His opponent is Democrat Mike Ryan, a lawyer who has worked extensively in law enforcement.

The two men apparently do differ on issues, although that seems to be playing little role in the campaign. According to NY1, "Donovan supports the death penalty and says he doesn't support Governor Eliot Spitzer's plan to give illegal immigrants drivers' licenses. Ryan is not as clear on either issue."

Ryan stresses his background, work ethic and commitment to law. Donovan is running largely on his record, saying that he is revitalizing the office, improving the conviction rate, instituting a witness protection program and "using new technologies and laws to prosecute criminals in our community."

Several aspects of that record, though, have become issues in the campaign. Perhaps the most potentially damaging for Donovan is his office's handling of criminal charges against Steven Molinaro, grandson of Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro. After pleading guilty to assault charges arising from two separate attacks on 14-year-old boys, the court ordered the younger Molinaro to steer clear of his victims. But Molinaro then allegedly drove by the house of one of the boys and glared at him. Molinaro was then convicted of violating his parole and sentenced to five years in prison. All this was done by officials from Brooklyn to avoid any possible conflicts.

But that has not kept grandfather Molinaro from blaming Donovan. The borough president took out a full-page ad in the Staten Island Advance denouncing Donovan, and the borough president, a Conservative who was also elected on the Republican line, has endorsed Democrat Ryan for district attorney. Molinaro has claimed that to avoid the appearance of impropriety, Donovan dealt more harshly with his grandson than he would have with other similar defendants.

Other controversies revolve around whether Donovan has accurately reported conviction rates. Ryan has aired a commercial featuring a woman who addresses the camera and says, "DA Donovan let the man who sexually abused my daughter off free...Thanks to you, Mr. Donovan, there is a sexual abuser walking the streets."

But if this looks like a classic dirty campaign, think again. "Even during this campaign, we're gentlemen. We respect each other," Ryan told NY1.

In the Bronx, District Attorney Johnson, who has served since 1988 when he became the state's first black district attorney, received a rating of not approved from the New York City Bar Association. The organization does not offer details on its decisions beyond saying an unapproved candidate has failed "to affirmatively demonstrate that he possess the requisite qualifications" for the office.

The bar association may have withheld its seal of approval from Johnson because he declined to meet with them, according to The Politicker. Attending that meeting, Johnson has said, "would have accomplished nothing, while taking away from the operation of my office, communicating with the citizens of the Bronx, and spending quality time with my family." The district attorney has also said the association seeks "to have candidates 'kiss its (proverbial) ring.' I, for one, will never do that."

Richard Brown, the other district attorney running unopposed, received the bar association's approval, as did both Staten Island candidates.

City Council

Two City Council races will be on the ballot this Tuesday, one in Brooklyn and one in Staten Island. Each are a result of special elections after Yvette Clarke vacated her seat in the 40th district in Brooklyn to go to the U.S. Congress and Andrew Lanza left his seat in the 51st district on Staten Island to go to the State Assembly.

The winners, Mathieu Eugene in Brooklyn and Vincent Ignizio in Staten Island, are now seeking to finish the remainder of their council terms, which last through 2009.

Ignizio, a former state Assemblyman and one of only three Republicans on the City Council, is unopposed. Not surprisingly, according to the latest records from the Campaign Finance Board, he has raised only $105.

A spokesperson for the Campaign Finance Board said a candidate can roll over funds to another election cycle as long as he or she returns public matching funds, currently set at $4 for every $1.

Eugene's faces a Republican challenger, Clarence Joseph John. It's the third election of the year for Eugene, the first Haitian to serve on the council. Following the special election in February, controversy arose over whether Eugene actually lived in the district. To settle any accusations, Eugene requested another special election, which he won in April. He was finally sworn in in May.

Both candidates have filled out questionnaires from the city's Campaign Finance Board, which are available here.

Eugene identifies health issues and access to health care as the most important issue facing the district. John, a native of Trinidad and a licensed electrician who owned his own company, said the district needs to increase city services, from police to affordable housing.

Through the end of October, Eugene has raised $24,474, according to the Campaign Finance Board. John has not registered with the board.

The Surrogate

Though the Democratic primary attracted some attention in September, the Kings County Surrogate Court race has not been talked about much since. Diana Johnson, who won the primary with about 59 percent of the vote against Democratic Party-backed ShawnDya Simpson, faces Republican Theodore Alatsas.

In Brooklyn, Democrats are usually favored, and Johnson is practically guaranteed victory.

The Surrogate Court oversees wills, adoptions and estates and has long been tied to political cronyism. Because the surrogate appoints attorneys as guardians of large fortunes, sketchy political tradeoffs and cronyism can flourish. The term is 14 years.

Johnson has sat on the state Supreme Court in Brooklyn since 2001 and was endorsed by Citizens Union, the sister group to Gotham Gazette's publisher, Citizens Union Foundation. She was also endorsed by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, City Council members Letitia James, Albert Vann, Mathieu Eugene and Charles Barron as well as numerous state Senate and Assembly members. Here is a questionnaire she filled out for Citizens Union earlier this year.

Alatsas, an attorney, has been a frequent Conservative candidate. He ran for Brooklyn borough president in 2005, Kings County district attorney in 2001 and the state Assembly in 2002, all unsuccessfully. He received a bachelor's degree from New York University and graduated from St. John's School of Law.

Johnson's candidacy received approval from both the Brooklyn and city bar associations, while Alatsas did not.

Supreme Court Judges

Voters in several parts of the city will choose judges for the state Supreme Court on Tuesday. Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court is not an appeals court but the main trial court with general jurisdiction. The judges serve 14-year terms. Candidates for the bench run on party lines. Unlike candidates for other offices, they are selected by delegates to judicial conventions, not in a primary election. Delegates to the convention were selected in the September primary.

The system has been widely condemned for giving too much power to party organizations. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of the conventions. The court has not yet issued its decision.

Although some races appear on the ballot, experts contend the contests rarely are competitive. "Winning the nomination is usually tantamount to winning the election.... The candidate who appears on the Election Day ballot in New York City is usually the Democrat, who may or may not be endorsed by other parties but who almost always wins either way. Other parties may field their own candidates, but with little expectation of winning," Judge Emily Jane Goodman wrote in Gotham Gazette.

That does not have to keep you from voting, though. These are the contested races for Supreme Court judge:

--Brooklyn and Staten Island (2nd Judicial District): Four candidates are vying for six openings. They are: L. Priscilla Hall, Albert Tomei, Larry Martin and Robert Miller, all of whom have the backing of Republican and Democratic parties (Miller gets the Conservative nod too) and Conservatives Paul Atanasio, Dennis Houdek and Ross Brady. The four candidates with the Democratic and Republican endorsements have received the bar association's nod as well, but the association rated all three of the candidates running solely as Conservatives as "not approved."

Hall, Martin and Tomei are already Supreme Court judges. Miller is a partner in a firm specializing in international law. (For more, on the candidates, click here.)

Queens (11th Judicial District): Six candidates are competing for three openings here, with each major party offering three candidates. The Democrats are Denis Butler, keneth Holder and Steven Paynter. Kerry Katsorhis, Theodore Stamas and Joseph Kasper are the GOP candidates.

All but Kasper and Katsorhis, both lawyers in private practice, have bar association approval.

Butler and Holder are Civil Court judges, Stamas is a lawyer in private practice and Paynter serves as a Criminal Court judge. (For more on the candidates, click here.)

Civil Court Judges

In various communities around the city, the ballot will feature contests for Civil Court judge. The Civil Court decides lawsuits involving claims of up to $25,000, with a small claims division involving cases with up to $5,000. It also has a housing part to hear cases involving landlord-tenant disputes and housing violation proceedings. Judges on the Civil Court serve 10-year terms.

Over the past several months, one contest in Brooklyn has attracted some attention because of the man seeking the post: former City Councilmember Noach Dear. Dear has been charged with ethical lapses, of being hostile to gays and even of once having supported the apartheid-era government of South Africa. The bar association has not approved him, and during the primary for the seat from the Fifth Municipal Court District, most of the city's newspapers endorsed his opponent. According to the Daily News, Dear has given conflicting statements about if, when and how he practiced law. Dear won the primary anyway.

Given the Democratic advantage in the district and Dear's high name recognition, he seems likely to win again on Tuesday, though he does have an opponent: James P. McCall, who is running as a Republican and a Conservative. In an editorial endorsing McCall, the Daily News described him as a lawyer for more than 30 years, who currently works as a senior court attorney for a judge. McCall has been approved by the bar association. Dear has not.

For more on Brooklyn Civil Court candidates, click here.

These are the other Civil Court contests:

-- Bronx (1st Municipal Court District): Democrat Donald Miles, a principal law clerk to a state Supreme Court judge, faces Paul Indig, a litigation attorney who appears on the Republican and Conservative lines. (For more on the candidates, click here.)

--Brooklyn (countywide): Eight candidates are competing for four seats. The Democratic Party has four candidates: Debra Silber, Frederick Arriaga, Carolyn Wade and Robin Sheares. The Republican Party has nominated three candidates, who also have the Conservative line: Vincent Martusciello, Michael Reinhardt and Philip Smallman. Another candidate, Thomas Stadnik, appears only on the Conservative line. Only three of the eight -- Arriaga, Silber and Wade -- have bar association approval.

Silber already serves as a civil court judge. Arriaga is counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Sheares lists herself as self-employed, Wade is principal law clerk to a state Supreme Court judge, Reinhardt is an attorney in private practice and Smallman has run for judge before -- without success. (For additional information, on Brooklyn Civil Court candidates, click here.)

--Queens (4th Municipal Court District): Democrat Cheree Buggs is running against Republican Robert Beltrani. Beltrani is an administrative law judge with the state Division of Parole. Buggs has served as counsel to the City Council's Committee on Oversight and Investigation. She is approved by the bar association; Beltrani is not.

Ballot Question

Voters may be a little perplexed when they read their ballot question on Tuesday, considering it refers to the water supply in Hamilton County upstate.

To make it more baffling, the action voters are confronted with has already occurred. If approved, the question would allow the town of Long Lake to use one acre of state property for water wells. In exchange, the state will acquire 12 acres of land elsewhere in the town. Because the water in Long Lake was unfiltered and potentially hazardous, the state Department of Environmental Conservation gave the town extraordinary permission to begin drilling in 2004.

To drill wells for groundwater in preserved forests, a constitutional amendment is needed. According to the League of Women Voters in New York City, there appears to be no opposition to the amendment.

BEFORE YOU GO TO THE POLLS

Where and When Do I Vote?

The election will be this Tuesday, November 6, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Only registered voters who have registered at least 25 days before the election can vote.

You should have received a notice in the mail telling you where to vote, but if you do not have it, you can go to the Board of Election's poll site locator or call 1 866 VOTE-NYC. This number can provide you with other information as well, including registration deadlines.

On its Web site, the Board of Elections also has instructions on how to work the voting machine.

Absentee ballot applications can be obtained by calling the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC or e-mailing a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has already passed. If you have not requested one and you cannot appear at the polls on Election Day because of an accident or sudden illness, you may send a representative with an authorized letter to receive an Absentee Ballot Application and Absentee Ballot and return both to the Board of Elections by 9 p.m. on Election Day at your borough office.

If you are disabled and cannot vote independently or privately using New York's Shoup lever machines, or if you are interested in new voting technology, you can vote at your borough's Super Poll Site. These sites are equipped with ballot marking devices (BMDs) that function as an electronic pen to mark a voters choices on a paper ballot. The machines feature a screen that displays the ballot to the voter and are equipped with audio recordings of the ballot, compatibility with sip and puff devices, rocker paddles with foot controls, large font displays and voice activated, voice output technology. They are designed to allow disabled voters to cast their own votes without assistance.

You can also find detailed directions and information about the Super Poll Sites, poll site accessibility and disability voting rights issues at the Center for Independence of the Disabled, 212 674-2300.

The Board of Elections says that it has increased efforts to make polling places accessible for senior citizens and handicapped voters, but they admit there are still problems at some sites. Voters who feel that their polling site is inaccessible should call the Voter Registration Unit of their local borough office for information.

First-Time Voters

New Yorkers who registered to vote for the first time via mail may be asked to provide identification, such as a driver's license, when they arrive at the polls.

Voters without a driver's license can also offer a copy of one of the following:

-- valid photo ID
-- current utility bill
-- bank statement
-- government check or other government document that shows the voter's name and address.

Those who do not have any form of identification or decline to supply one will be allowed to vote by paper ballot, not in the machines, according to the Board of Elections. Those votes will be counted only if they are verified to match registration forms.

The new rules are part of the federal Help America Vote Act, which Congress passed after the turmoil in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.

What If You Encounter Problems at the Polls?

If a poll worker says you are not on the list, ask an inspector to verify that you are at the correct Election and Assembly District for your address. If you believe that you are eligible to vote, you can ask for a paper or affidavit ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you are deemed eligible to vote and were at the correct polling site.

If you encounter problems at the polls, call one of the following places:

-- New York Public Interest Research Group: 212 349-6460

-- League of Women Voters Election hotline: 212 725-3541.

-- New York Civil Liberties Union: 212 607-3300

For assistance in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, Khmer and English, call the Asian American Legal Defense Fund at 800 966-5946.

 

This story was updated on September 19 to include unofficial election results.

2007 gives a new meaning to the term “off year” election, and the primary looks especially sleepy. Many New Yorkers – even those voters in good standing registered with one of the major parties – will simply have nothing to vote for on Tuesday, Sept. 18.

The big action will occur in Brooklyn where there are three spirited contests for judgeships. Elsewhere, many of the contested offices are for internal party posts followed by only the most ardent political aficionado.

Perhaps the most notable thing about this election may be when it takes place. Instead of occurring on the second Tuesday of September – the usual primary day – it is being held on the third. The second Tuesday fell on 9/11 – the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks -- and officials felt it was improper to vote that day. That decision prompted Clyde Haberman of the New York Times to scoff, “We can shop, and go to a ballgame, and make money. But allow our democracy to function normally? Nope. That is somehow incompatible with Sept. 11.”

Voters despairing on the lack of political action can look to the future though. A general election in November may feature some races not on the primary ballot. And after that it is only three months to February – and the presidential primary.

In the meantime, here is a guide for the September 18 votes:

--The non-races

--Surrogate Court

--Civil Court

--District leader

--Party committees

--Delegates to Judicial Convention

--How to vote

--Voting rights

--First-time voters

--Problems at the polls

Beginning Tuesday night, Gotham Gazette will provide results of the election as they become available.

The Non-Races

Perhaps more notable than the contests that will take place this week are those that will not.

Three of the city’s five district attorneys are up for re-election in 2007: Robert Johnson in the Bronx, Richard Brown in Queens and Dennis Donovan in Staten Island. None of them faces a primary challenge, even though Brown just went through a controversial year fueled by the police shooting of Sean Bell and the indictments that eventually followed, while Donovan, the one Republican among the city’s DAs, is only finishing his first term.

The next full-scale City Council election is not scheduled until 2009 when citywide offices and borough presidents also will face the voters, but two council members are up for re-election this fall. The two – Mathieu Eugene of Brooklyn’s 40th district and Vincent Ignizio of Staten Island’s 51st -- were elected in special elections to fill vacancies earlier this year. (Actually Eugene went through two special elections.)

Given the large number of candidates who ran in the 40th and the controversy surrounding his residency, many observers expected Eugene to face some opposition. But at least for the primary, Eugene, like Ignizio, is unopposed.

Surrogate Court

If there’s a marquee race on Tuesday, it’s the Brooklyn contest to elect a judge for the Kings County Surrogate Court. Either of the candidates in the Democratic primary, Diana Johnson and ShawnDya Simpson, could have been Brooklyn’s first black surrogate. In the end, Johnson won with about 59 percent of the vote. She will face Republican candidate Theodore Alatsas in November, in Brooklyn a Democrat is usually the runaway favorite.

Although it had the potential to further crack the glass ceiling – Brooklyn’s other surrogate is Margarita Lopez Torres – and break racial barriers, the race was mired in court challenges and politics, prompting some to refrain from wholeheartedly endorsing either candidate in the closest and only competitive race in the 2007 primary, according to some political observers.

A court that some view as inconsequential and unnecessary, the Surrogate Court oversees wills, estates and adoptions. The judges can appoint attorneys as guardians, allowing them to collect lucrative fees. This has led to charges of cronyism and corruption, as political party bosses use their influence to get their candidates elected, expecting that their judges will return the favor in guardianship appointments. That issue is particularly volatile in Brooklyn, where critics charge the selection of judges has been particularly corrupt.

The state government created a second Surrogate Court judge for Brooklyn two years ago (Manhattan has two; the other boroughs each have one) allegedly to create a job for then outgoing Assemblymember Frank Seddio. But Seddio resigned earlier this year after only 18 months on the job because he was reportedly under investigation by a judicial conduct commission.

This election is to fill that vacancy for a 14-year term. Both candidates have ties to party bosses – one to the current leaders, the other to the former, and convicted, party chief.

Johnson ran for the Surrogate Court two years ago at the urging of Clarence Norman, the former Brooklyn Democratic leader who was convicted on three felony counts for accepting illegal campaign contributions. She lost to Torres, who was generally seen as a reform candidate.

Simpson has the backing of the current Democratic leader, State Assemblymember Vito Lopez.

Adding to the controversy, Simpson’s Brooklyn residency has been questioned. In a court challenge, Johnson claimed Simpson’s primary residence was not Kings County, but New Jersey, where her husband and children reside. The challenge was thrown out by an appellate court.

Both candidates have acquired approval from the New York City Bar Association. Simpson received an endorsement, albeit a half-hearted one, from The New York Times and full-fledged support from The Jewish Press.

Johnson has received support from Brooklyn’s reform-oriented political clubs, like the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and the Independent Neighborhood Democrats.

Johnson has also received endorsements from the Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, City Council members Letitia James, Albert Vann, Mathieu Eugene and Charles Barron as well as numerous State Senate and Assembly members.

Although it expressed concern over both candidates' connections to party politics, good-government group Citizens Union, the sister organization of Gotham Gazette’s publisher, ultimately endorsed Johnson in the race based on her experience.

Johnson has served as a justice on the state Supreme Court in Brooklyn since 2001 and has sat behind the bench in general since 1991. In a questionnaire from Citizens Union, Johnson identifies several problems in the court system she would like to tackle if elected. Specifically she hopes to incorporate both “uniform standards” to move cases along more swiftly and a resource center for those who represent themselves.

Simpson has served as a Manhattan Criminal Court judge since 2003 and is a former assistant district attorney in Kings County. She aligned her campaign with a reform agenda – one that hopes to weed out the surrogate’s notorious cronyism, which she identified as one of its biggest problems in Citizens Union’s questionnaire. She also suggests implementing time frames for court decisions.

When asked if they supported less party affiliation for judgeships, both candidates said they favored a more transparent selection system. Johnson and Simpson also stated they would support public financing of judicial elections.

Civil Court

On Tuesday there will be two primaries in the entire city for the Civil Court, both in Brooklyn.

The Civil Court, which has jurisdiction over civil cases involving amounts up to $25,000 and other civil matters referred to it by the state Supreme Court, includes a small claims court for matters less than $5,000 and a housing court that handles landlord-tenant matters and housing code violations. Each year, over 625,000 civil cases are filed in Civil Court in New York City. In total, 120 Civil Court Judges are elected to serve in the court, making New York City the largest civil jurisdiction court by volume in the United States.

Civil Court Judges are elected and serve terms of 10 years. Of the 120 Civil Court Judges, approximately 50 sit in the Civil Court. The rest sit in various other courts, including Criminal Court and Family Court. Many judges sit as acting Supreme Court justices. A judge elected in one county may also be assigned to sit in another county.

This year’s Democratic primary in District 6, which covers Flatbush, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts, Midwood and parts of Crown Heights, featured a low-key race between Katherine Levine, a senior attorney with the statewide teachers union and Sharen Hudson, a former law clerk to Diana Johnson (the candidate for Surrogate Court judge), who works for the Red Hook Community Justice Center. Levine won.

The Democratic primary in the 5th Municipal District, encompassing parts or all of Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Sunset Park and Parkville., though, raised some eyebrows. Frontrunner Noach Dear has the support of Brooklyn political boss Vito Lopez and Borough President Marty Markowitz and a clear advantage in fundraising. In the election, he defeated former judge, Karen Yellen, getting about 60 percent of the vote.

Dear also has an array of critics. First elected to the City Council in 1983, Dear, a Democrat from Borough Park, served on the council for 18 years until he was displaced by term limits. He has failed in two runs apiece for Congress and the State Senate.

While still on the City Council, Dear drew the ire of his colleagues when he organized a trip for council members to South Africa, then ruled by the white minority apartheid government, and failed to tell them in a timely manner that the junket was funded by the whites-only Johannesburg City Council.

Dear has also had legal troubles. The attorney general substantiated a claim that he was improperly using funds from a nonprofit he founded to pay for personal expenses, such as travel as well as home and car phone service.

For his Civil Court race this year, Dear has raised over $147,000, roughly half of it from taxi corporations. A member of the Taxi and Limousine Commission since 2001, Dear is permitted to accept corporate funds - which would be prohibited if he were seeking city office - because Civil Court is a state position and regulated by the more lax state campaign finance laws.

Yellen, though lesser known in Brooklyn politics, has made a name for herself, largely as a witness for the prosecution in the trial of former political kingpin Clarence Norman. Yellen alleged that Norman forced her to dole out dollars allegedly to pay for campaign services for her 2001 race for reelection at the civil court -- services that Yellen has claimed she never received.

Having served on the bench for 10 years, Yellen finished third in the 2002 primary after her falling out with Norman, and she currently serves as a referee in Family Court.

The New York City Bar Association gave Yellen a rating of “approved” in their evaluation of judicial candidates. Dear, however, was not approved. The bar cited his “failure to affirmatively demonstrate that he possesses the requisite qualifications for the court for which he is a candidate.” In its editorial on the race, the New York Times reached a similar conclusion. It said that Dear’s “volatile personality and indifference to conflicts-of-interest makes him utterly unsuited for the bench.”

District Leaders

All 10 district leader contests this year are in Manhattan and they are all for Democrats. Six involve male district leaders and four are for female district leaders.

District leaders are intermediaries between the major political parties and the community in which they are elected. Together they form the governing bodies of the Democratic and Republican parties within their respective counties. The position is often seen as a stepping stone to higher office, and many times is held by members of the State Assembly or City Council. Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch started his political career as a district leader.

Each district elects a male and female representative. District leaders are elected to four-year terms, are not paid and work within the political parties. “The way to think of them is not as a ‘block captain,’ but as a ‘neighborhood captain,’” says Alex Carabelli, deputy director of Grassroots Initiative, a non-profit organization that helps community members get elected to local office. “They help coordinate petitioning and local campaigns, and anything else the parties are doing in the community.”

District leaders select poll inspectors, clerks, supervisors and translators to fill the various poll worker positions on Election Day. They also serve as ex-officio members of the County Committee Executive Board.

On Tuesday, Democrats in Washington Heights and Upper Manhattan will elect their District Leaders. Assemblymember Adam Clayton Powell IV and incumbent Evette Zayas ran as a team in the 68th Assembly District, Part A. Powell defeated three other candidates -- Eduardo Franco, Edward Gibbs and Johnny Rivera -- for the male district leader position. But his running mate did not fare as well, losing out to Diane Green.

In District 72, Part A incumbents Mayra Linares and Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat successfully beat back a challenge from Judith Amaro and Kevin Campbell.

The most heated race for the district leader was for the female district leader in Assembly District 72, Part B in Washington Heights. Incumbent Maria Morillo, supported by Espaillat, faced three opponents. Her main competitor was Albania Lopez, the running mate of Councilmember Miguel Martinez, an the race between Morillo and Lopez reflected the conflict between their male running mates.

Espaillat and Martinez, who were once political allies and friends, had a falling out. Martinez left Espaillat’s political club, the Northern Manhattan Democrats for Change, and formed his own, the Democrats in the Heights. Also running for the female district leader position were Yocasta Sosa and Francia Rodriguez. Morillo defeated all of them to hold on to her post, but Martinez was elected male district leader.

Other races include male district leaders in the 68th Assembly District, Part B, which Manuel Onativia won, and District 70 Part A, where William Allen proved victorious, as well as male and female district leaders in the 68th Assembly District, Part C, won by John Ruiz and Marion Bell respectively.

Party Committees

There are more than 100 races for seats on county committees in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens in both the Republican and Democratic parties. The Board of Elections does ot expectto have unoffical results of these contests until September 21.

Part of the political party machinery, members of a county committee act as representatives for their political party on a very low scale. Usually their territory is only a few blocks and covers approximately 1,000 registered voters. Members of a county committee help select and endorse candidates for higher office.

In New York City thousands of these positions are often left vacant, according to the Grassroots Initiative.

In this week's primary, nearly 50 races are contested for Manhattan's Democratic county committee, one seat is contested for the Bronx Republican county committee and nearly 75 races are contested for the Queens Republican county committee.

One race in Queens includes none other than indicted City Councilmember Dennis Gallagher, who is appearing for the first time on the ballot since he was charged with several counts of rape and assault. Interestingly, Gallagher temporarily vacated his positions on several City Council committees and his role as minority whip after he was charged, although he remains in the City Council.

According to the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board, council members can hold positions on county committees as long as they are not in a leadership role.

Republicans in Queens also got to choose delegates to their state committee in several Assembly Districts. Voters choose a male and a female committee member.

Judicial Convention Delegates

A number of candidates on Tuesday are seeking election to posts that some New Yorkers want to eliminate. There are several contests for delegates and alternatives delegates to state judicial conventions. Those elected will attend a meeting to vote on their party’s candidates for state Supreme Court - New York’s main trial court. Their action at these meetings tend to be “a formality because the bosses have usually picked the nominees beforehand,” wroteCarol DeMare in the Albany Times Union.

Formality or not, a lot of people want to go. In one Manhattan district, 24 candidates appear on the ballot seeking one of eight seats at the convention.

Democratic primaries for delegates to the convention will take place in the 68th, 72nd and 75th Assembly districts, all in Manhattan. Democrats in the 72nd and 75th districts can also choose alternate delegates.

In Queens, it’s Republicans who get to vote for delegates to the convention. There will be GOP primaries for delegates and alternate delegates in the 25th, 28th, 31st and 32nd districts. Dennis Gallagher, the Queens City Council member currently facing rape charges, also sought one of these posts (along with a seat on the county committee) but lost. Gallagher reportedly came in last among a field of six candidates seeking three seats.

Meanwhile, a federal district court and a U.S. appeals court have ruled that the entire convention system is unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the issue early next month.

BEFORE YOU GO TO THE POLLS

Where and When Do I Vote?

The election will be this Tuesday, September 18, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Only registered voters who have registered at least 25 days before the election can vote. Since this is a primary, only registered members of parties with contests can cast ballots.

You should have received a notice in the mail telling you where to vote, but if you do not have it, you can go to the Board of Election's poll site locator or call 1 866 VOTE-NYC. This number can provide you with other information as well, including registration deadlines.

On its Web site, the Board of Elections also has instructions on how to work the voting machine.

Absentee ballot applications can be obtained by calling the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC or e-mailing a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Those who wish to vote by absentee ballot have two choices. If you choose to vote by mail, an absentee ballot must be postmarked the day before the primary and reach the Board of Elections no more than seven days after the election. Or you can drop off an absentee ballot at one of the Board of Elections borough offices by 9:00 p.m. on Election Day.

If the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail has passed and you cannot appear at the polls on Election Day because of an accident or sudden illness, you may send a representative with an authorized letter to receive an Absentee Ballot Application and Absentee Ballot and return both to the Board of Elections by 9 P.M. on Election Day at your borough office.

What Is a Super Poll Site and Where Can I Find Mine?

If you are disabled and cannot vote independently or privately using New York’s Shoup lever machines, or if you are interested in new voting technology, you can vote at your borough’s Super Poll Site. These sites are equipped with ballot marking devices (BMDs) that function as an electronic pen to mark a voters choices on a paper ballot. The machines feature a screen that displays the ballot to the voter, and are equipped with audio recordings of the ballot, compatibility with sip and puff devices, rocker paddles with foot controls, large font displays and voice activated, voice output technology, all designed to allow disabled voters to cast their own votes without assistance.

If you would like to locate your Super Poll Site click below for a map:

Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx , Staten Island

You can also find detailed directions and information about the Super Poll Sites, poll site accessibility and disability voting rights issues at the Center for Independence of the Disabled, 212 674-2300

What Are My Voting Rights?

The New York Voter's Bill of Rights guarantees the right to:

. Vote: The right to vote includes voting for candidates and questions on the ballot.

. Have your vote count: Vote on a voting system that is in working condition and that will allow votes to be accurately counted.

. Secrecy in voting: Secrecy in voting will be preserved for all elections.

. Freedom in voting: Cast your vote, free from coercion or intimidation by poll workers or any other person.

. Permanent registration: Once registered to vote, you continue to remain qualified to vote from an address within your county or city.

. Accessible elections: Non-discriminatory equal access to the election system for all voters, including the elderly, disabled, alternative language minorities, military and overseas citizens, as required by federal and state laws.

. Assistance in voting: You may ask for help in voting because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.

. A ballot in another language: Voters anywhere in New York City are entitled to a ballot in Spanish. Voters in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens have the right to a ballot in Chinese, and Queens voters must be able to obtain a ballot in Korean.

. Instructions: You can view a sample ballot in your polling place prior to voting, and before entering the machine, you may request help in how to operate the machine.

. Absentee voting: If you will be out of your county of residence on Election Day or are unable to go to your polling place due to illness or physical disability, you may cast an absentee ballot.

. Affidavit voting: Whenever your name does not appear in the official poll book, you will be offered an affidavit ballot.

First-Time Voters

New Yorkers who registered to vote for the first time via mail, may be asked to provide identification, such as a driver's license, when they arrive at the polls.

Voters without a driver's license can also offer a copy of one of the following:

. valid photo ID

. current utility bill

. bank statement

. government check or other government document that shows the voter's name and address.

Those who do not have any form of identification or decline to supply one will be allowed to vote by paper ballot, not in the machines, according to the Board of Elections. Those votes will be counted only if they are verified to match registration forms.

The new rules are part of the federal Help America Vote Act, which Congress passed after the turmoil in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.

What If You Encounter Problems at the Polls?

If a poll worker says you are not on the list, ask an inspector to verify that you are at the correct Election and Assembly District for your address. If you believe that you are eligible to vote, you can ask for a paper or affidavit ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you are deemed eligible to vote and were at the correct polling site.

The Board of Elections says that it has increased efforts to make polling places accessible for senior citizens and handicapped voters, but they admit there are still problems at some sites. Voters who feel that their polling site is inaccessible should call the Voter Registration Unit of their local borough office for information.

If you encounter problems at the polls, call one of the following places:

- New York Public Interest Research Group: 212 822-0282

- League of Women Voters Election hotline: 212 725-3541.

- New York Civil Liberties Union: 212 607-3300

For assistance in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, Khmer and English, call the Asian American Legal Defense Fund at 800 966-5946.

Candidates List from The New York City's Board of Election

Manhattan
- Democratic Candidates for District Leader
- Democratic Delegates to the Judicial Convention
- Democratic Candidates for County Committee

Bronx
- Republican County Committee Candidates

Brooklyn
- Democratic Candidates for Surrogate and Civil Court Judges

Queens
- Republican Candidates for State Committee
- Republican Delegates to Judicial Convention
- Republican Candidates for County Committee

Reporting for this story was done by Courtney Gross, Doug Israel, Gail Robinson and Andrea Senteno. 

The following Primary Election results are based on the unofficial vote tally as reported by the New York City Board of Elections. The results below are subject to change as the official count is made public.

 

A year ago, disabled New Yorkers welcomed a historic change in voting law that allowed them to exercise a right many New Yorkers take for granted – casting an independent and confidential vote. “This year was one of the first opportunities for many individuals with disabilities to utilize voting technology to exercise an independent and private ballot,” said Matthew Sapolin, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilitiesand former co-executive of the Queens Independent Living Center after the 2006 election.

The changes, implemented for last year’s primary and general elections, let people vote using new “ballot marking” voting devices at special poll locations across the city. These same devices will probably be used for at least the next few elections. But while many in the disabled community hailed the use of ballot marking devices last year, they are not pleased that what was intended to be an interim solution now might be in place for the foreseeable future. In particular they are concerned that the law only requires one such device per county and that traveling to it can be time consuming and difficult.

This is far less than the federal Help American Vote Act (HAVA) requires. That law mandates that every poll site have at least one accessible voting machine and that every poll site be handicapped-accessible

So far, though, New York has been unable to meet HAVA’s requirements. In recognition of that, Governor Eliot Spitzer recently signed into law an extension of a September 1, 2007 deadline to begin using new machines. The new legislationwill allow New York State to continue to use its old-fashioned lever machines until a new voting system is implemented. It will also once again require that the Boards of Elections across the state provide disabled voters with the opportunity to use interim voting technology – ballot marking devices – to vote independently and privately.

Ballot Marking Devices

Historically, voting systems across the nation have not allowed disabled citizens to vote without the aid of a poll worker, friend or family member. In New York, the lever machines that have been in use since 1892, in one form or another, have not provided full accessibility for disabled voters.

Under HAVA, passed in response to the problems that plagued the 2000 elections, states are required to provide new voting technology that would allow disabled voters to vote much like voters who are not disabled. Ballot marking devices are one technology that helps accomplish this goal.

Ballot marking devices are most often used with paper ballot optical scan voting systems, and are equipped with various functions and capacities, such as audio recordings of the ballot, compatibility with sip and puff devices, rocker paddles with foot controls, large font displays and voice activated, voice output technology, to allow disabled voters to cast their own votes without assistance. For New York’s 3 million peopleliving with disabilities, this technology can be revolutionary.

The device acts as a “computerized marking pen” which produces a marked paper ballot. These ballots can be dropped in a ballot box and counted by hand or be cast using an optical scan machine. It is guarded from onlookers by a “privacy sleeve” as it travels from the ballot marking device to the box or scanner at the poll site.

In 2006, after the U.S. Department of Justice sued New York State for non-compliance with HAVA, the state implemented what is referred to as “Plan B” to partially comply with the disability requirements of HAVA. Every county in New York State — or borough in New York City — was required to establish at least one polling location with ballot marking devices in time for the 2006 primary elections.

As a result, the 2006 election marked the first time many disabled voters had the opportunity to vote privately and without assistance in New York State.

That year, the New York City Board of Elections set up five “super poll sites” - one in each of the Board of Election borough offices - that would include these machines. At an estimated $4,500 apiece, New York City purchased 22 Avante Vote Trakker devices– five each for Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, four in the Bronx and three on Staten Island.

The city Board of Elections reported that during the 2006 primary election 580 people voted using a ballot marking device. For the general election, the number increased to 1,201. Based on accessibility exit polls, the large majority of these voters were not disabled, but simply used the equipment because it was convenient.

Several advocacy groups attributed the perceived low turnout among the disabled to the location of the machines. They also said the city Board of Elections did not adequately alert the disabled community about the devices.

Location, Location, Location

While Commissioner Sapolin may have been speaking for many disabled voters when he said he was thrilled that ballot marking devices provided him with his “first opportunity to cast an independent ballot,” disability advocacy groups have been critical of the plan. They were less than thrilled that elections officials used borough offices as super poll sites, instead of fanning out the 22 ballot marking devices to more convenient locations across the city. Borough offices, advocates argue, while convenient for the board staff, are inconvenient and even inaccessible for many disabled voters.

An informal analysis shows that of the five Board of Elections borough offices, only one, Brooklyn, is near a handicap accessible subway station. “The main problem is the amount of travel involved, the lack of understanding of how long it can take a person to get from point A to point B in a neighborhood you don’t know,” commented Aaron Belisle, voter education and access coordinator for the Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY. For voters who live in the far corners of Queens or Brooklyn, getting to a poll station may be more than they bargained for, requiring them to travel long distances on the train and transfer to buses or negotiate transportation through Access-A-Ride. Trips can take up to half a day for some voters.

The map below demonstrates how far a voter would have to travel from Yankee Stadium, one of three handicapped-accessible subway stations where voters can catch a city bus to the Bronx super poll site.

Red flag marks Bronx super poll site. Green flag marks Yankee Stadium Subway Station.

To view the closest handicap accessible subway station to your borough’s super poll site click here: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island.

Transportation was not the only barrier. “People were turned off because the process segregated the [disability] vote, you had to go to a separate location while everyone else could go down the block to vote,” said Belisle. “The BOE said there was low turnout, but it wasn’t the result of disinterest by the disabled community.”

The state Board of Election has apparently heard some of these objections. After receiving over 500 public comments, it recently voted down a proposal that would have further segregated the disability vote by only allowing “disabled” people to use the ballot marking devices.

The Future of Access

With the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of an entire new voting system, advocates are pushing for a more robust interim plan to meet the needs of the disabled community and live up to the standards outlined in HAVA. While the state mandates one location with ballot marking devices per county, the city Board of Elections can provide more than that. Presently, it has no intentions to expand access beyond the implementation plan of 2006 for the fall 2007 elections, when only a few contests, mostly judgeships, will be on the ballot. According to city board’s director of communications and public affairs, Valerie Vasquez, the board has been having “discussions” on the feasibility of increasing accessibility for the February presidential primaries.

While disability groups, such as CIDNY and New York State Independent Living Council, Inc., as well as civic organizations, such as NYPIRG, Citizens Unionand others would like the board to implement an interim plan providing for accessibility, there is no consensus as to what that plan should be. Some advocates are calling for the purchase of additional ballot marking devices, perhaps one per poll site, as soon as possible. But others question whether the state should buy devices costing $4,500 apiece that could become obsolete once the state and city finally decide what voting technology will replace the lever machines. Nevertheless, the state Board of Elections commissioners agreed this month to prepare a revised HAVA implementation plan, that if accepted by the Department of Justice, will require one fully accessible ballot marking device be available at every poll site by the September 2008 primary.

At the very least, most reform advocates would like the city board to make more effective use of the 22 machines it currently owns. They argue this can be done by spreading the machines out to several locations in each borough, or by making the designated super poll site, more accessible. It could, for example, be placed in a site frequented by disabled voters, such as at Selis Manor, a learning center and meeting place for the blind and visually impaired, in Manhattan.

The board has not ruled out these options, but neither has it warmly embraced them. It said it would cost money to fan the machines out to several locations or even move them to another site. In a telephone conversation, Vasquez said, “We feel it is important to have [super poll sites] in a controlled environment with trained staff while we prepare for full implementation.”

Based on the 2006 elections, it appears the city Board of Election needs to take further steps to ensure that disabled voters know about the sites and are able to get to them. Advocates argue that the board could forge stronger ties with the disability community and service providers and work with the MTA and Access-A-Ride to help get people to the site. The board did do some of this in 2006 with the help of the Voter Assistance Commissionand the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, but many argue that more could be done.

Disability advocates point out that, whatever twists the implementation of HAVA may go through, there are common sense steps the board can take to make voting more accessible for the disabled community. These include such simple measures as making more use of visual materials and reconfiguring tables and other furniture at polling sites so it does not block the path to voting machines. Such simple, cost effective actions could go a long way to ensuring greater poll site access on Election Day.

Doug Israel is director of public policy and advocacy for Citizens Union Foundation, which publishes Gotham Gazette. Andrea Senteno is program associate. Contributed reporting from David Brody, research and policy intern. 

The following results are based on the unofficial vote tally as reported by the wire services and, as much as possible, directly from the New York City Board of Elections. The official count from the Board of Elections can take weeks to complete and these results will be posted as soon as they are available. The results below are subject to change as the official count is made public.

U.S. Senate

Office	Winners	Date Posted
Seat 1	Election in 2010	-
Seat 2	Hillary Clinton	11/7/06

U.S. Congress

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Dist 5 - Queens	Gary Ackerman	11/7/06
Dist 6 - Queens	Gregory Meeks	11/7/06
Dist 7 - Bronx	Joseph Crowley	11/7/06
Dist 8 - Manhattan	Jerrold Nadler	11/7/06
Dist 9 - Queens	Anthony Weiner
Dist 10 - Brooklyn	Edolphus Towns	11/7/06
Dist 11 - Brooklyn	Yvette Clarke	11/7/06
Dist 12 - Brooklyn	Nydia Velazquez	11/7/06
Dist 13- Staten Island	Vito Fossella	11/7/06
Dist 14 - Manhattan	Carolyn Maloney	11/7/06
Dist 15 - Manhattan	Charles Rangel	11/7/06
Dist 16 - Bronx	Jose Serrano	11/7/06
Dist 17 - Bronx	Eliot Engel	11/7/06

Statewide Office

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Governor	Eliot Spitzer	11/7/06
Lieutenant Governor	David Paterson	11/7/06
Comptroller	Alan Hevesi	11/7/06
Attorney General	Andrew Cuomo	11/7/06

Bronx State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
76 - Fordham, West Farms, Parkchester, Castle Hill	Peter M. Rivera	11/7/06
77 - Highbridge, Morrisania	Aurelia Greene	11/07/06
78 - Bronx Park South, Belmont, Fordham, Bedford Park, South Riverdale, Van Cortland Village, Marble Hill	Jose Rivera	11/07/06
79 - Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona-Mapes, Longwood, Charlotte Gardens, Belmont	Michael Benjamin	11/7/06
80 - Pelham Parkway, Morris Park, Van Nest, Pelham Bay, Van Cortlandt Village, Norwood, Bedford Park	Naomi Rivera	11/07/06
81 - Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt Village, Marble Hill, Norwood, Woodlawn, Wakefield	Jeffrey Dinowitz	11/7/06
82 - Co-op City, Throgs Neck, City Island, Locust Point, Edgewater Park, parts of Castle Hill, Westchester Square, Zerega	Michael Benedetto	11/7/06
83 - Olinville, Williamsbridge, Wakefield, Edenwald, Eastchester, Fish Bay, Baychester	Carl Heastie	11/7/06
84 - Highbridge, Melrose, Longwood, Mott Haven, Port Morris, Hunts Point	Carmen Arroyo	11/7/06
85 - Bronx River, Harding Park, Clason Point, Hunts Point and Soundview	Ruben Diaz	11/7/06
86 - Bronx	Luis Diaz	11/7/06

Bronx State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
28 - South and West Bronx, East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, parts of North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights	Jose Serrano	11/7/06
31 - West Side of Manhattan, Northwest Bronx	Eric Schneiderman	11/7/06
32 - Soundview, Castle Hill, Clasons Point, Hunts Point, Mott Haven, Melrose, Parkchester, Morrisania, Van Nest, West Farms, Bronx River	Ruben Diaz	11/7/06
33 - Bronx	Efrain Gonzalez	11/7/06
34 - Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Throgsneck, City Island, Woodlawn, Norwood, Wakefield, Yonkers, Pelham, Pelham Manor, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon	Jeffrey D. Klein	11/7/06
36 - Bronx	Ruth Thompson	11/7/06

Brooklyn State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
40 - East New York, Brownsville	Diane Gordon	11/7/06
41 - Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, East Flatbush	Helene Weinstein	11/7/06
42 - Flatbush, Midwood	Rhoda Jacobs	11/7/06
43 - Crown Heights, Flatbush	Karim Camara	11/7/06
44 - Park Slope, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Windsor Terrace	James Brennan	11/7/06
45 - Brighton Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Flatbush, Manhattan Beach, Midwood, Plum Beach, Sheepshead Bay	Steven Cymbrowitz	11/7/06
46 - Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Dyker Heights, Marlboro, Sea Gate, high-rises of Brightwater, Luna Park, Trump Village, Warbasse	Alec Brook-Krasny	11/7/06
47 - Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach, Dyker Heights and Midwood	William Colton	11/7/06
48 - Boro Park, Dyker Heights, Kensington, Flatbush	Dov Hikind	11/7/06
49 - Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Borough Park	Peter J. Abbate	11/7/06
50 - Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn	Joseph R. Lentol	11/7/06
51 - Sunset Park, Red Hook, Wyckoff, Gowanus, Windsor Terrace, South of Park Slope, Borough Park, Boerum Hill	Felix W. Ortiz	11/7/06
52 - Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Bay Ridge	Joan L. Millman	11/7/06
53 - Bushwick, Ridgewood, Williamsburg	Vito J. Lopez	11/7/06
54 - Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bedford, Stuyvesant, East New York, Cypress Hills, City Line	Darryl Towns	11/7/06
55 - Oceanhill, Browsville, Bedford, Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, Bushwick	William Boyland	11/7/06
56 - Tompkins Park North, Weeksville, Bedford-Stuyvesant	Annette Robinson	11/7/06
57 - Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Flatbush, parts of Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant	Hakeem Jeffries	11/7/06
58 - Flatbush, Brownsville, Canarsie	Nick Perry	11/7/06
59 - Flatlands, Canarsie, Mill Island, Bergen Beach	Alan Maisel	11/7/06

Brooklyn State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
17 - Bushwick, Cypress Hills, parts of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford- Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York	Martin Malave Dilan	11/7/06
18 - Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Red Hook, parts of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens	Velmanette Montgomery	11/7/06
19 - Canarsie, East Flatbush, parts of Brownsville, Crown Heights, East New York	John L. Sampson	11/7/06
20 - Brooklyn	Eric Adams	11/7/06
21 - Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Borough Park	Kevin Parker	11/7/06
22 - Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, southern Sunset Park, Boro Park, St. George, Stapleton, Rosebank, Dongan Hills, Grassmere, New Dorp, South Beach, Midland Beach, Arrochas, Thompkinsville, Clifton	Martin Golden	11/7/06
23 - Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Seagate, Coney Island, Windsor Terrace, parts of Brighton Beach, Kensington, Flatbush, Sunset Park, Park Slope in Brooklyn. North Shore of Staten Island	Diane Savino	11/7/06
25 - Williamsburg, Sunset Park, Navy Yard, Lower Manhattan	Martin Connor	11/7/06
27 - Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Bergan Beach, Flatbush	Carl Kruger	11/7/06

Manhattan State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
64 - Lower East Side	Sheldon Silver	11/7/06
65 - Upper East Side of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island	Alexander Grannis	11/7/06
66 - Greenwich Village, SoHo, Tribeca, East Village	Deborah Glick	11/7/06
67 - Upper West Side of Manhattan	Linda Rosenthal	11/7/06
68 - Harlem	Adam Clayton Powell	11/7/06
69 - Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights	Daniel O'Donnell	11/7/06
70 - Morningside Heights, Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville	Keith Wright	11/7/06
71 - West Harlem, Washington Heights	Herman Farrell	11/7/06
72 - Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill	Adriano Espaillat	11/7/06
73 - East side of Manhattan	Jonathan Bing	11/7/06
74 - East side of Manhattan	Brian Kavanagh	11/7/06
75 - Chelsea, Clinton, Murray Hill, Midtown, Lincoln Center area in Manhattan	Richard Gottfried	11/7/06

Manhattan State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
25 - Williamsburg, Sunset Park, Navy Yard, Lower Manhattan	Martin Connor	11/7/06
26 - Murray Hill, Tutor City, Sutton Place, Yorkville	Liz Krueger	11/7/06
28 - South and West Bronx, East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, parts of North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights	Jose Serrano	11/7/06
29 - Manhattan's West Side from 77th Street to Battery Park, sections of East Midtown, Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown	Thomas Duane	11/7/06
30 - Harlem, Upper West Side, Washington Heights	Bill Perkins	11/7/06
31 - West Side of Manhattan, Northwest Bronx	Eric Schneiderman	11/7/06

Queens State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
22 - Queens	Ellen Young	11/7/06
23 - Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Far Rockaway	Audrey Pheffer	11/7/06
24 - New Hyde Park, Flushing , Fresh Meadows, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck, Bayside, Holliswood, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oak, Douglaston	Mark Weprin	11/7/06
25 - Flushing, Whitestone	Rory Lancman	11/7/06
26 - East Flushing, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Whitestone, Malba, Bay Terrace, Floral Park	Ann Margaret Carrozza	11/7/06
27 - Flushing, Queen Garden Hill, College Point, Briarwood, Auberndale, Hill Crest, Jamaica Estates	Nettie Mayersohn	11/7/06
28 - Forest Hills, Rego Park, Middle Village, Glendale	Andrew Hevesi	11/7/06
29 - Rosedale, Laurelton, Queens Village	William Scarborough	11/7/06
30 - Maspeth, Woodside, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Middle Village, Astoria	Margaret Markey	11/7/06
31 - Far Rockaway, Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park	Michele Titus	11/7/06
32 - Jamaica Estates, South Jamaica Estates, Rochdale, Springfield	Vivian Cook	11/7/06
33 - Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Howard, St. Alban, Bellerose, Cunnigham Heights	Barbara Clark	11/7/06
34 - Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona	Ivan Lafayette	11/7/06
35 - East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona, Woodside	Jeffrion Aubry	11/7/06
36 - Astoria, Old Astoria, Long Island City, Queensbridge, Ditmars, Ravenswood, Steinway	Michael Gianaris	11/7/06
37 - Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Woodside, Long Island City, Maspeth, Ravenswood, Blissville	Catherine Nolan	11/7/06
38 - Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Glendale, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Middle Village	Anthony Seminerio	11/7/06
39 - Jackson Heights, Corona	Jose Peralta	11/7/06

Queens State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
10 - Queens	Shirley Huntley	11/7/06
11 - Queens Village, Flushing, Bayside Whitestone, Douglaston, Little Neck, College Point, Bellerose, Hollace, Jamaica Estates, Floral Park, Glenn Oak, New Lead Park	Frank Padavan	11/7/06
12 - Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Bayside, Flushing, Bay Terrace	George Onorato	11/7/06
13 - Jackson Heights, Corona and parts of Elmhurst	John Sabini	11/7/06
14 - St. Albans, Laurelton, Cambria Heights, Springfield Gardens, Rockaways	Malcolm Smith	11/7/06
15 - Forest Hills Gardens, Glendale, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village, Old Howard Beach, Ridgewood, Woodhaven, parts of Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Ozone Park, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Sunnyside, Woodside	Serphin Maltese	11/7/06
16 - Flushing, Bay Terrace, Forest Hills, Rego Park	Toby Ann Stavisky	11/7/06

Staten Island State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
60 - Brooklyn: Bay Ridge, Fort Hamiliton. Staten Island: Eltingville, Great Kills, Richmond, Oakwood Beach, New Dorp Beach, Midland Beach, Fort Wadsworth, Dongan Hills, Emerson Hills, Grant City, Rosebank, Shore Acre, Grasmere, Arrochae	Janele Hyer-Spencer	11/7/06
61 - Westerleigh, Mariners Harbor, Port Richmond, West New Brighton, Livingston, New Brighton, Randall Manor, St. George, Stapleton, Tompkinsville	John Lavelle	11/7/06
62 - New Dorp, Oakwood, Great Kills, Eltingville, Annandale, Huguenot, Pleasant Plains, Prince's Bay, Cottonville, Roseville	Vincent Ignizio	11/7/06
63 - Staten Island	Michael Cusick	11/7/06

Staten Island State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
23 - Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Seagate, Coney Island, Windsor Terrace, parts of Brighton Beach, Kensington, Flatbush, Sunset Park, Park Slope in Brooklyn. North Shore of Staten Island	Diane Savino	11/7/06
24 - Staten Island

Judicial Races

Bronx - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Countywide	Doris M. Gonzalez	11/8/06

Brooklyn - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Countywide	Dena Douglas, Jacqueline D. Williams	11/8/06

Manhattan - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Countywide	Jane Solomon	11/8/06
District 1	Paul Feinman	11/8/06
District 2	Margaret Chan	11/8/06
District 4	Eileen Rakower, Michael Stallman	11/8/06
District 7	Rita Mella, Shari Michels	11/8/06
District 9	Arthur Birnbaum, Lori Sattler	11/8/06

Queens - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
District 1	Charles Lopresto	11/8/06
District 2	Leslie J. Purificacion	11/8/06

Staten Island - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Countywide	Barbara I. Panepinto, Kim Dollard	11/8/06
District 2	Philip Straniere	11/8/06

State Supreme Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
District 1 (Manhattan)	Joan Lobis, Angela Mazzarelli	11/8/06
District 2 (Brooklyn, Staten Island)	Jack Battaglia, William Mastro, Karen Rothenberg, David Schmidt, Delores Thomas	11/8/06
District 7 (Queens)	Evelyn Braun, Richard Buchter, Steven Fisher, Darrell Gavrin, Kevin Kerrigan, Robert Kohm, Howard Lane	11/8/06
District 12 (Bronx)	Luis Gonzalez, Howard Sherman	11/8/06

 

Guide to Party Abbreviations:

(Incumbents in bold)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

STATE ASSEMBLY

STATE SENATE

 

The following results are based on the unofficial vote tally as reported by the wire services and, as much as possible, directly from the New York City Board of Elections. The official count from the Board of Elections can take weeks to complete and will be posted as soon as they are available. The results below are subject to change as the official count is made public. The winning candidates will face opponents in the general election on November 7

U.S. Senate

Office	Winners	Date Posted
Seat 1	Election in 2010	-
Seat 2	Hillary Clinton (Dem); John Spencer (Rep)	9-12-06

U.S. Congress

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Dist 5 - Queens	No Primary	-
Dist 6 - Queens	No Primary	-
Dist 7 - Bronx	No Primary
Dist 8 - Manhattan	No Primary	-
Dist 9 - Queens	No Primary	-
Dist 10 - Brooklyn	Ed Towns (Dem)	9-12-06
Dist 11 - Brooklyn	Yvette Clarke (Dem)	9-12-06
Dist 12 - Brooklyn	No Primary	-
Dist 13- Staten Island	Vito Fossella (Inp)	9-13-06
Dist 14 - Manhattan	No Primary	-
Dist 15 - Manhattan	No Primary
Dist 16 - Bronx	No Primary	-
Dist 17 - Bronx	Eliot Engel (Dem)	9-12-06

Statewide Office

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Governor	Eliot Spitzer (Dem)	9-12-04
Lieutenant Governor	No Primary	-
Comptroller	No Primary
Attorney General	Andrew Cuomo (Dem)	9-12-06

Bronx State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
76 - Fordham, West Farms, Parkchester, Castle Hill	No Primary
77 - Highbridge, Morrisania	No Primary	--
78 - Bronx Park South, Belmont, Fordham, Bedford Park, South Riverdale, Van Cortland Village, Marble Hill	No Primary	-
79 - Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona-Mapes, Longwood, Charlotte Gardens, Belmont	Michael Benjamin (Dem)	9-12-06
80 - Pelham Parkway, Morris Park, Van Nest, Pelham Bay, Van Cortlandt Village, Norwood, Bedford Park	Naomi Rivera (Dem)	9-12-06
81 - Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt Village, Marble Hill, Norwood, Woodlawn, Wakefield	No Primary	-
82 - Co-op City, Throgs Neck, City Island, Locust Point, Edgewater Park, parts of Castle Hill, Westchester Square, Zerega	No Primary
83 - Olinville, Williamsbridge, Wakefield, Edenwald, Eastchester, Fish Bay, Baychester	No Primary	-
84 - Highbridge, Melrose, Longwood, Mott Haven, Port Morris, Hunts Point	No Primary
85 - Bronx River, Harding Park, Clason Point, Hunts Point and Soundview	No Primary
86 - Bronx	No Primary	-

Bronx State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
28 - South and West Bronx, East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, parts of North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights	No Primary	-
31 - West Side of Manhattan, Northwest Bronx	No Primary	-
32 - Soundview, Castle Hill, Clasons Point, Hunts Point, Mott Haven, Melrose, Parkchester, Morrisania, Van Nest, West Farms, Bronx River	No Primary	-
33 - Bronx	No Primary	-
34 - Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Throgsneck, City Island, Woodlawn, Norwood, Wakefield, Yonkers, Pelham, Pelham Manor, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon	No Primary	-
36 - Bronx	Ruth Thompson (Dem)	9-12-06

Brooklyn State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
40 - East New York, Brownsville	Diane Gordon (Dem)	9-12-06
41 - Sheepshead Bay, Midwood, Flatlands, Canarsie, East Flatbush	No Primary	-
42 - Flatbush, Midwood	No Primary	-
43 - Crown Heights, Flatbush	Karim Camara	9-12-06
44 - Park Slope, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Windsor Terrace	No Primary	-
45 - Brighton Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Flatbush, Manhattan Beach, Midwood, Plum Beach, Sheepshead Bay	No Primary	-
46 - Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Dyker Heights, Marlboro, Sea Gate, high-rises of Brightwater, Luna Park, Trump Village, Warbasse	Alec Brook-Krasny	9-13-06
47 - Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach, Dyker Heights and Midwood	No Primary	-
48 - Boro Park, Dyker Heights, Kensington, Flatbush	No Primary	-
49 - Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Borough Park	No Primary	-
50 - Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn	No Primary	-
51 - Sunset Park, Red Hook, Wyckoff, Gowanus, Windsor Terrace, South of Park Slope, Borough Park, Boerum Hill	No Primary	-
52 - Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Bay Ridge	No Primary	-
53 - Bushwick, Ridgewood, Williamsburg	No Primary	-
54 - Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bedford, Stuyvesant, East New York, Cypress Hills, City Line	No Primary
55 - Oceanhill, Browsville, Bedford, Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, Bushwick	No Primary	--
56 - Tompkins Park North, Weeksville, Bedford-Stuyvesant	Annette Robinson (Dem)	9-12-06
57 - Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Flatbush, parts of Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant	Hakeem Jeffries (Dem)	9-12-06
58 - Flatbush, Brownsville, Canarsie	No Primary	-
59 - Flatlands, Canarsie, Mill Island, Bergen Beach	Alan Maisel (Dem)

Brooklyn State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
17 - Bushwick, Cypress Hills, parts of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford- Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York	No Primary
18 - Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Red Hook, parts of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens	Velmanette Montgomery (Dem)	9-12-06
19 - Canarsie, East Flatbush, parts of Brownsville, Crown Heights, East New York	No Primary	-
20 - Brooklyn	Eric Adams (Dem)	9-12-06
21 - Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Borough Park	Kevin Parker (Dem)	9-12-06
22 - Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, southern Sunset Park, Boro Park, St. George, Stapleton, Rosebank, Dongan Hills, Grassmere, New Dorp, South Beach, Midland Beach, Arrochas, Thompkinsville, Clifton	No Primary	-
23 - Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Seagate, Coney Island, Windsor Terrace, parts of Brighton Beach, Kensington, Flatbush, Sunset Park, Park Slope in Brooklyn. North Shore of Staten Island	No Primary	-
25 - Williamsburg, Sunset Park, Navy Yard, Lower Manhattan	Martin Connor (Dem)	9-12-06
27 - Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Bergan Beach, Flatbush	No Primary	-

Manhattan State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
64 - Lower East Side	No Primary	-
65 - Upper East Side of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island	No Primary	-
66 - Greenwich Village, SoHo, Tribeca, East Village	No Primary	-
67 - Upper West Side of Manhattan	No Primary	-
68 - Harlem	Adam Clayton Powell IV (Dem)	9-12-06
69 - Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights	Daniel O'Donnell (Dem)	9-12-06
70 - Morningside Heights, Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville	No Primary	-
71 - West Harlem, Washington Heights	No Primary	-
72 - Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill	Adriano Espaillat (Dem)	9-12-06
73 - East side of Manhattan	No Primary	-
74 - East side of Manhattan	Brian P. Kavanagh (Dem)	9-13-06
75 - Chelsea, Clinton, Murray Hill, Midtown, Lincoln Center area in Manhattan	No Primary	-

Manhattan State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
25 - Williamsburg, Sunset Park, Navy Yard, Lower Manhattan	Martin Connor (Dem)	9-12-06
26 - Murray Hill, Tutor City, Sutton Place, Yorkville	No Primary	-
28 - South and West Bronx, East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, parts of North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights	No Primary	-
29 - Manhattan's West Side from 77th Street to Battery Park, sections of East Midtown, Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown	No Primary	-
30 - Harlem, Upper West Side, Washington Heights	No Primary	-
31 - West Side of Manhattan, Northwest Bronx	No Primary	-

Queens State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
22 - Queens	Ellen Young (Dem)	9-13-06
23 - Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Far Rockaway	No Primary	-
24 - New Hyde Park, Flushing , Fresh Meadows, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck, Bayside, Holliswood, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oak, Douglaston	No Primary	-
25 - Flushing, Whitestone	Rory Lancman (Dem)	9-12-06
26 - East Flushing, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Whitestone, Malba, Bay Terrace, Floral Park	No Primary	-
27 - Flushing, Queen Garden Hill, College Point, Briarwood, Auberndale, Hill Crest, Jamaica Estates	No Primary	-
28 - Forest Hills, Rego Park, Middle Village, Glendale	Dolores Maddis (Rep)	-
29 - Rosedale, Laurelton, Queens Village	No Primary	-
30 - Maspeth, Woodside, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Middle Village, Astoria	No Primary	-
31 - Far Rockaway, Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park	No Primary	-
32 - Jamaica Estates, South Jamaica Estates, Rochdale, Springfield	No Primary	-
33 - Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Howard, St. Alban, Bellerose, Cunnigham Heights	No Primary	-
34 - Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona	No Primary	-
35 - East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona, Woodside	No Primary	-
36 - Astoria, Old Astoria, Long Island City, Queensbridge, Ditmars, Ravenswood, Steinway	No Primary	-
37 - Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Woodside, Long Island City, Maspeth, Ravenswood, Blissville	No Primary	-
38 - Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Glendale, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Middle Village	No Primary	-
39 - Jackson Heights, Corona	Jose Peralta (Dem)	9-12-06

Queens State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
10 - Queens	Shirley Huntley (Dem)	9/13/06
11 - Queens Village, Flushing, Bayside Whitestone, Douglaston, Little Neck, College Point, Bellerose, Hollace, Jamaica Estates, Floral Park, Glenn Oak, New Lead Park	No Primary	-
12 - Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Bayside, Flushing, Bay Terrace	No Primary	-
13 - Jackson Heights, Corona and parts of Elmhurst	John Sabini	9-13-06
14 - St. Albans, Laurelton, Cambria Heights, Springfield Gardens, Rockaways	No Primary	-
15 - Forest Hills Gardens, Glendale, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village, Old Howard Beach, Ridgewood, Woodhaven, parts of Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Ozone Park, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Sunnyside, Woodside	No Primary	-
16 - Flushing, Bay Terrace, Forest Hills, Rego Park	No Primary	-

Staten Island State Assembly Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
60 - Brooklyn: Bay Ridge, Fort Hamiliton. Staten Island: Eltingville, Great Kills, Richmond, Oakwood Beach, New Dorp Beach, Midland Beach, Fort Wadsworth, Dongan Hills, Emerson Hills, Grant City, Rosebank, Shore Acre, Grasmere, Arrochae	Anthony Xanthakis (Rep)	9-12-06
61 - Westerleigh, Mariners Harbor, Port Richmond, West New Brighton, Livingston, New Brighton, Randall Manor, St. George, Stapleton, Tompkinsville	No Primary
62 - New Dorp, Oakwood, Great Kills, Eltingville, Annandale, Huguenot, Pleasant Plains, Prince's Bay, Cottonville, Roseville	No Primary	-
63 - Staten Island	No Primary	-

Staten Island State Senate Districts

Office	Winner	Date Posted
23 - Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Seagate, Coney Island, Windsor Terrace, parts of Brighton Beach, Kensington, Flatbush, Sunset Park, Park Slope in Brooklyn. North Shore of Staten Island	No Primary	-
24 - Staten Island	Anthony Lanza (Rep)	9-12-06

Judicial Races

Surrogate Court

No Primary

Bronx - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
	No Primary

Brooklyn - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
County 1	Jacqueline D. Williams (Dem)
County 2	Dena Douglas (Dem)

Manhattan - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
District 2	Margaret A. Chan (Dem)	9-13-06
District 7	Rita Mella (Dem)	9-13-06

Queens - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
	No Primary

Staten Island - Civil Court

Office	Winner	Date Posted
Countywide	Kim Dollard (Inp)	-

For more results, go to our list of winners in Little Races -- for Democratic district leaders, state committee men and women, delegates and alternative delegates to the judicial convention.  

District Leaders work as a point of contact between political parties and the communities in which they work and one of their main responsibilities is to recruit poll workers.

State committee members serve as delegates at the statewide party conventions

Delegates to the Judicial Convention are picked to formally ratify party nomination for judges who are running in upcoming elections.

Democratic Male State Committee

Democratic Female State Committee

Democratic Male District Leader

Democratic Female District Leader

Democratic Delegate to Judicial Convention*

*There was more than one winner in these races. The name listed is the biggest vote-getter.

Democratic Alternate Delegate to the Judicial Convention *

* There was more than one winner in these races. The name listed is the biggest vote-getter.

 

Democracy seemed at work in a basement auditorium on the Upper West Side recently, when about 40 residents attended a debate for a Special Election -- except that each of the candidates said the race was undemocratic.

One candidate called the race for an open Assembly seat left vacant after Scott Stringer was elected as Manhattan Borough President "bizarre” and “insider.” Another described it as a “travesty.” Stringer himself said it was "ridiculous."

However, none of that prevented Stringer from using the process to make sure that his favorite candidate, Linda Rosenthal, won the Democratic nomination. And it didn’t stop Rosenthal, who admitted that the “process may stink,” from accepting the nomination.

On Tuesday, February 28, voters on the West and East Side of Manhattan and in Southeast Brooklyn will elect three new State Assembly members in "Special Elections."

Most of the people who live in these areas are unaware that the elections are taking place. And even those few who do bother to go to the polls will find that the field of candidates has already been narrowed by an arcane political process and the influence of Democratic Party leaders.

The whole system of choosing a party nominee and getting on the ballot in a Special Election is so complex and inexplicable that even trying to explain it might kill off some of our readers (which we don't want to do; if you want a detailed explanation, you'll have to click here.)

Whoever wins will have to run again this fall, but given that incumbents have a nearly 100 percent reelection rate in New York, the victors have a good chance of serving a lifetime in office.

“The whole system of elections in New York State is rigged,” said Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group. “Special Elections just exacerbate the existing problems because no one knows it’s happening.”

Here is a look at the three Special Elections in New York City on February 28 and the political shenanigans leading up to them.

Stacking the Deck

67th Assembly District – West Side of Manhattan

Tom Weiss spent 45 minutes last week describing how he was different from the other candidates running for State Assembly seat on the Upper West Side. Then he stopped, saying that these differences don't matter anymore because the party bosses had already decided who would win – depriving the voters of the chance to do so.

"The powers that be could have taken any of the candidates and that candidate would have won," said Weiss. "You can't tell me that's not an appointment."

Last week, Weiss – who is the son of the former Congressman Ted Weiss and presumably knows a few things about running a campaign – was kicked off the ballot because of technical problems in his petitions.

Most of the other candidates also agree that Special Elections are fundamentally flawed. The only candidate who does not seem to take offense at the process is the Republican candidate, Emily Csendes. “Being the Republican candidate - for better or for worse - is a lonely process,” she said. “Hopefully someday this might be an issue for us.”

Criticism or no, this is how public officials on the West Side have historically earned their jobs. And even those who call for reform aren't shy about using the system for their own benefit.

This year, Jerrold Nadler and Scott Stringer, who both became the Democratic nominee for Congress and the Assembly seats respectively through similar clubhouse votes, decided to anoint Nadler's aide, Linda Rosenthal, as the Democratic nominee. (For the details of how they did this, again click here.)

In most Special Elections, this is generally the end of the story. Once the power brokers choose a candidate everyone else bows out.

Indeed, several Democrats did drop out once the party picked Rosenthal. But Charles Simon and Michael Lupinacci stayed in the race by getting on the ballot on newly-created minor party lines. Simon is running on the "West Side Progressive Party" line; Lupinacci is running on the "New Leadership" line.

There are not many major philosophical differences between the candidates from the Upper West Side, but they are trying to distinguish themselves from one another.

Rosenthal believes her lengthy experience in Nadler’s office sets her apart. She wants to focus on Albany's refusal to abide by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit and on overdevelopment in the district.

Charles Simon, who also serves on community board 7, says his priorities are to repeal the Urstadt Law (which took away rent regulation from city officials and gave it to the state), address gang activity in local high schools, and monitor the city's plans to use a waterfront facility on 59th Street to load commercial garbage onto barges.

Michael Lupinacci wants to push Albany on the school funding lawsuit and restructure schools so more students go to one school for kindergarten through 12th grade.

Emily Csendes is a teacher at a public high school in Harlem who ran for the seat in 2004. Her platform calls for investment in school construction to reduce class sizes and targeted tax incentives for technology.

All the candidates also agree that reforming Albany's dysfunctional system of governance should be on the list of priorities.

Linda Rosenthal, however, bristles at the idea that she is a beneficiary of an unfair system.

"While the process may stink, I think I'm the right choice," she said.

Courting the Democratic Party

59th State Assembly District - Canarsie, Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, Marine Park, Flatlands Brooklyn

Last summer, a few hours before the New York State Legislature ended its session for the year, Governor George Pataki and Senate and Assembly leaders decided to create an additional Surrogate’s Court seat in Brooklyn.

The decision was criticized for several reasons:
• Nearly every other county in the state only has one Surrogate’s Court judge – who handles wills and estates. There was no evidence that a new post was needed in Brooklyn.
• One of the sitting Surrogate's Court judges, Michael Feinberg, was removedfrom the bench for improperly awarding $9 million in fees to his friend, an attorney.
• Albany leaders carefully crafted the deal so that the Brooklyn Democratic Party leaders, the same people who selected Feinberg – not the voters - would choose the new judge.

(For more on corruption in the Brooklyn judicial system, play Gotham Gazette’s Judges Game.)

Still, despite all of the suspicion about the new seat, Brooklyn State Assemblymember Frank Seddio openly campaigned among his fellow Democrats for the post -– and reportedly gave $32,000 in donations to elected officials and local clubs in the weeks leading up to the appointment.

In September, Brooklyn Democratic Party leaders nominated Frank Seddio as the new Surrogate’s Court Judge -- thus opening up his seat in the Assembly. A few months later, Democratic leaders in Brooklyn chose Alan Maisel, Seddio’s chief-of-staff, as their nominee to replace Seddio in the 59th Assembly District. (For the details on the process by which this happened, again click here.)

Alan Maisel defends his former boss and the process by which he was selected by the local party.

“None of the people that [Seddio] gave money to -– with the exception of one or two people -– had any role in selecting him as a judge,” said Maisel.

“I have been very involved in local Democratic politics for years,” he added. “Nobody else presented themselves as a candidate.”

When voters go to the polls they will see two other candidates on the ballot: Republican Ronald Haugstatter and Conservative Alice Gaffney. (Neither candidate returned phone calls seeking an interview.)

Even if a voter wanted to attend a candidate forum and hear how the various people differ on the issues, it would be impossible; there hasn’t been one.

“I did go to one event that was supposed to be a candidate forum,” said Alan Maisel. “But no one else showed up. It was a one person forum.”

Fight in the East Side Political Clubhouse

74th Assembly District – East Side of Manhattan

Last fall, East Side State Assemblymember Steve Sanders, who had recently undergone quadruple-bypass heart surgery, announced that he was retiring from the New York State Legislature after 28 years in office.

The announcement immediately generated speculation about who might run for his seat. But after Sanders endorsed his chief-of-staff Steven Kaufman, many other Democrats like former City Councilmember Margarita Lopez said they would stay out of the race in deference to the former Assemblymember.

The race for the Democratic nomination then became a two-person affair between Steven Kaufman and Sylvia Friedman, a longtime Democratic activist on the East Side.

While Steven Kaufman had the support of outgoing Assemblymember Sanders, Sylvia Friedman relied on her ties to the four local Democratic clubs, whose members would ultimately vote on the nominee – and she scored an upset win over Kaufman. (For the details of how the process works, again click here.)

“Steve didn’t have any clubs behind him,” she said.

Steven Kaufman said that the vote came down to which committee members showed up and which did not. “There were people in Hawaii and Aruba,” he said. “One guy who supported me had tickets for the ballet that night and couldn’t make it.”

He also believes that some of the Democratic committee members cast their ballot with an eye toward the Democratic Primary in September, when a larger field of candidates might be encouraged to run.

“There were people who were looking forward to the Democratic Primary and wanted an outcome in the Special Election that is better for their plans,” said Kaufman. “That’s part of politics.”

Sylvia Friedman, who also has the Working Families Party line, will face Republican Frank Scala in the Special Election.

Frank Scala, a Republican activist on the Upper East Side dating back to Governor Nelson Rockefeller's administration, believes that he actually has a better chance in a Special Election because only residents who are extremely active in the neighborhood know that the election is happening.

“In New York, people vote for the Democrat and they don’t even know who the people are,” said Scala. “But people in the neighborhood [who show up for a Special Election] know who I am.”

 

When New Yorkers go to the polls on November 8, it is not an exaggeration to say that their decisions will make history - and shape the city for decades to come.

If Mayor Michael Bloomberg is reelected, New York City will have a Republican mayor for 16 years, an unprecedented streak in an overwhelmingly Democratic city. If Democrat Fernando Ferrer is elected, he will become the city's first Latino mayor. Both candidates have also made promises for the future: to build tens of thousands of new homes, expand health care programs, and create new jobs for the next generation.

But there is more at stake than just the mayor's race.

Voters will also weigh in on half a dozen other seats - from public advocate to judgeships - and vote "Yes" or "No" on four ballot questions, including one that calls for $2.9 billion in repairs to roads, bus and train improvements, and major investment in the long-awaited Second Avenue subway.

To help voters before they go into the polling booth, we offer the following guide. And on the night of the election and in the days after, see Gotham Gazette's <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005_ge_results.php> Election Results.

I. THE MAYOR'S RACE
Who Is Running?
What Are the Candidates Saying?

II. THE OTHER RACES
Who Is Running for:
-Public Advocate?
-Comptroller?
-Borough President?
-City Council?
-Judicial seats?
-Clarence Norman's seat?

III. THE FOUR BALLOT QUESTIONS
What Are the Questions?
What Are the Arguments For and Against Each?

IV. THINGS TO KNOWN BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS
Where Do I Vote?
What Do First Time Voters Need To Know?
What Are My Rights?

V. THE RESULTS
-How Do I Find Out Who Won?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

I. THE RACE FOR MAYOR

Who Is Running?

The two front-runners in the mayoral election are Republican <http://www.mikebloomberg.com/> Michael Bloomberg and Democrat <http://www.ferrer2005.com/main.cfm> Fernando Ferrer, but there are other mayoral candidates as well.<http://www.ognibeneforny.com/> Conservative Thomas Ognibene, <http://www.themilitant.com/> Socialist Worker candidate Martin Koppel, <http://www.audreysilkfornycmayor.com/> Libertarian Audrey Silk, <http://www.educationparty.org/> Education Party candidate Seth Blum, <http://www.greenmayor.org/> Green Party candidate Anthony Gronowicz, and Jimmy McMilan, who is running on the Rent is Too Damn High line, are all trying to earn New Yorkers' votes on Election Day.

For more on all of these candidates for mayor, <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/52> click here.

What are the Candidates for Mayor Saying?

Even the most attentive voters have probably found it difficult to compare the mayoral candidates this year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has relied heavily on television ads and decided to attend only two debates, both in the week leading up to the election.

Fernando Ferrer argues that he will do more for the poor and working class New Yorkers, but several of his most prominent campaign platforms - such as building more housing, providing health care for children, and improving subway security - are things that Bloomberg vows to do as well.

But there are <http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2005/10/25/155/> distinct differences between the candidates, and each has specific plans for education, taxes, development, crime, and healthcare.

For how Bloomberg and Ferrer differ, read <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051017/200/1621> The Real Issues in the Mayor's Race.

Compare the candidates' stances on education, housing, taxes, health care, and transportation with Gotham Gazette's <http://www.gothamgazette.com/mayor_grid_05_1.shtml> Mayoral Issue Grid.

Read a transcript of the debate held on October 30. Also read the transcript of the final debate held on November 1.

And visit Gotham Gazette's blog Wonkster for a roundup of opinion on the election.

II. THE OTHER RACES

Who Is Running in the Other Races?

Public Advocate

The public advocate is the second-highest official in the city, a "watchdog" over the mayor and the rest of city government. This year, incumbent Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum is facing three challengers: Republican Jay Golub, Libertarian Jim Lesczynski, and "subway-gunman" Bernard Geotz, who is running on the Rebuild party line. (<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/53>Click here<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/53> to learn more about the race.)

Comptroller

The comptroller keeps track of the city's fiscal policies and financial transactions. This year, incumbent Comptroller Bill Thompson faces three challengers: Socialist Worker candidate Daniel Fein, Libertarian Ron Moore, and Conservative Herbert Ryan. (<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/54>Click here for more on the race.)

Borough President

Each of the city's borough presidents is also up for reelection this year. In September, Democrat Scott Stringer won a crowded primary for Manhattan Borough President. Now, he faces four other candidates in the General Election. <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/57> Click here for more on the Manhattan Borough President race. Also see races for <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/55> Bronx<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/55> , <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/56> Brooklyn<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/56>, <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/58> Queens<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/58>, and <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/59> Staten Island<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/59> Borough President.

City Council

There will be at least nine new members of the City Council elected this year because of term limits, and the remaining 42 incumbent City Council members all must run for reelection (though a dozen are unopposed).

The most competitive races in the General Election are for four seats in which Republicans and Democrats each have strong candidates. (Read the article <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051021/200/1631> City Council Races to Watch.)

In <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/4> district 4 on the Upper East Side, Democrat Dan Garodnick, Libertarian Jak Jacob Karako and Republican Patrick Murphy are fighting for the seat left vacant after the current City Councilmember Eva Moskowitz decided to run for Manhattan Borough President. (Read a transcript of a <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051024/200/1629> district 4 debate.)

In <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/5> district 5, also on the Upper East Side, Democrat Jessica Lappin and Republican Joel Zinberg are facing off for the seat of City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, who must leave office because of term limits. (Read a transcript of a <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051024/200/1629> district 5 debate.)

In <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/13> district 13 in the Northeast Bronx, Republican Philip Foglia and Democrat James Vacca are campaigning for an open seat.

In <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/43> district 43 in Brooklyn, City Councilmember Vincent Gentile faces such a tough challenge from Republican Pat Russo, who he narrowly defeated in 2003.

To find who is running in your City Council district:
1. Go to Gotham Gazette's Campaign 2005 <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005> section
2. Go to "Find Your District" on the right hand side of the page.
3. Type in your address and zip code.
4. Click "Go."

On the district page, you will find a list of candidates running, information about their campaign contributions, candidate biographies, and an archive of news stories from the campaign trail.

You can also click on the link to the <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/index.aspx> Campaign Finance Board's Voter Guide located on each district page for more information about the people running in your neighborhood.

District Attorney

While there are technically races for District Attorney in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the winners were decided in the Democratic Primary in September. Incumbent <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/62> Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau and <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/63> Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes are running unopposed in the General Election.

Judicial Seats

New Yorkers will also elect State Supreme Court Justices, and judges to the Civil Court. In <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/65> Manhattan and <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/64> Brooklyn, voters will elect the Surrogate's Court judge.

Because judicial candidates are not allowed to take public positions on issues that they may rule on, it is difficult for voters to choose between candidates. The State Supreme Court has a<http://www.nycourts.gov/vote/> voter guide that provides some background information. The New York City Bar also rates judicial candidates.

Brooklyn State Assembly Seat - District 43

Residents of Crown Heights, Brooklyn will vote in a special election to choose a replacement for State Assemblymember Clarence Norman, who was found guilty in September of mishandling campaign contributions.

Three candidates are running to fill the space: Democrat Karim Camara, Republican Kenneth Cook, and Independence candidate Geoffrey Davis, the brother of former Councilmember James Davis who was shot in City Hall in 2004. (Read an article about the race.)

III. THE BALLOT QUESTIONS

(Read The Fine Print on the Ballot for everything you need to know about the four questions on the ballot.)

When New Yorkers go to the polls on November 8, they will also be asked to vote "Yes" or "No" on four ballot questions - two statewide initiatives and two specifically for New York City. The wording of these questions on the ballot is long and confusing. It is best to research each of them ahead of time.

Question 1: Amending the State Budget Process <http://www.empirepage.com/ballots.html>

This measure changes how the state budget is enacted into law.

Currently, the governor develops a budget and submits it to the State Legislature, which has limited ability to amend it. Under this proposal, the State Legislature would have greater power to shape the budget than it does now. This measure states that if the governor and legislature do not agree on a budget by the beginning of the fiscal year, a contingency budget - based on the previous year's budget - would provide the basis of the new budget.

Other provisions of the ballot measure would establish an Independent Budget Office whose members are appointed by the legislature and move certain items onto the general budget that are currently funded independently. (Read the <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nys01.as px#see> text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.)

Pro:
Proponents <http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-%20BD442989366 5%7D/BUDGET%20REFORM%20FINAL%20REPORT.PDF> say the amendment will bring accountability and transparency to the state's budget process. It will encourage on-time budgets, while shifting some power from the governor to the legislature would bring New York into line with most other states.

Read "Vote Yes on Proposition 1" by Megan Quattlebaum and Blair Horner.

Con:
Opponents <http://www.manhattan-institute.org/rm/ECNY-09-20-05.ram> argue that this would almost guarantee late budgets because the legislature would only have power when no agreement with the governor can be reached.

Read "Vote No on Proposition 1" by Gerald Benjamin and Charles Brecher.

Question 2: Transportation Bond Act <http://www.dot.state.ny.us/>

This measure calls for New York State to borrow $2.9 billion for various transportation projects. Half of the money would go to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to help fund the construction of such projects as the Second Avenue subway and the extension of the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Station and for new buses and cars for subway and commuter rail lines. The rest would go toward road and bridge projects around the state, including some in the city. Voters rejected a similar measure in 2000. (Read the <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nys02.as px#see> text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.)

Read an article about the Transportation Bond Act.<http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/transportation/20051017/16/1620>

Pro:
Proponents say that the state's transportation infrastructure is in poor condition and this borrowing is a necessary investment in the future. It would help pay for much needed projects.

Read <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/fea/20051017/202/1618> "Vote Yes on the Transportation Bond Act" by Jeremy Soffin.

Con:
Opponents argue that the state is already burdened with too much debt, and borrowing such a large amount of money will lead to more fiscal problems and higher taxes.

Read <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/fea/20051017/202/1619> "Vote No on the Transportation Bond Act" by Nicole Gelinas.

Question 3: Establishing an Ethics Code for Hearing Officers <http://www.nyc.gov/html/charter/downloads/pdf/crc_ballot_questions.pdf>

This measure would amend the City Charter by allowing the mayor to establish a code of ethics for administrative hearing officers, who resolve citizen complaints and adjudicate a range of non-criminal matters, such as parking tickets, noise complaints and building code violations. (Read the <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nyc03.as px> text of the measure as it will appear on the ballot.)

Read an overview of Proposition 3.

Pro:
Proponents argue that this measure will encourage uniform conduct among administrative judges, improving the fairness, uniformity, and efficiency of hearings.

Read "Vote Yes on Proposition 3" by Peter J. Kiernan.

Con:
Opponents argue that an ethics code could be passed by the City Council or instituted by the mayor through an executive order, and that this is just an effort to block other measures from the ballot. They also say it gives no specifics about either the content of the code or the process by which the mayor will develop this ethics code.

Read "Vote No to Proposition 3" by Richard N. Gottfried.

Question 4: Adding Financial Management Requirements to the City Charter

In response the 1975 financial crisis when New York City nearly went bankrupt, the state imposed a series of financial management practices and created the Financial Control Board, comprised of members from both the state and city, to oversee the city's finances. Some of these oversight measures will expire on July 1, 2008.

This proposed amendment seeks to preserve many of the current financial control provisions in city law, including requiring a balanced budget, maintaining a four-year financial plan, limiting the amount of short-term debt, and performing an annual audit. (Read the <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nyc04.as px#see> text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.)

Read "The Fiscal Crisis After 30 Years" <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051010/200/1612> by Joshua Brustein.

Pro:
Proponents of the measure say that the charter revisions would guarantee that the city continue to act responsibly after the Financial Control Board's expiration. (Read arguments for Proposition 4 <http://www.nyccfb.info/debates_vg/voter_guides/general_2005/ballot_nyc04.as px#pro>)

Con:
Critics argue that this is not a comprehensive solution. Without a specific, independent entity to assess whether the city is fulfilling its responsibilities, they argue, there is no way to keep city officials honest.

IV. THINGS TO KNOW WHEN YOU GO TO THE POLLS

Where Do I Vote?

Registered voters should receive a postcard in the mail with the address of their polling place. If you did not, try the Board of Elections' <http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm> online <http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm> poll site locator. You can also try calling the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE NYC.

Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

On their website, the Board of Elections also has instructions <http://vote.nyc.ny.us/voting.html#machine> for how to work the voting machine.

Absentee ballot applications can be obtained calling the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC, e-mailing a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Those who wish to vote by absentee ballot have two choices:

Deliver by mail: To be counted, an absentee ballot must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and must reach the Board of Elections no more than seven days after the election.

Deliver in person: You can drop off an absentee ballot at one of the Board of Elections borough offices by 9:00 p.m. on Election Day.

What Do First Time Voters Need To Know?

New voting regulations may cause confusion at the polls.

New Yorkers who registered to vote for the first time via mail after January 1, 2003, may be asked to provide identification, such as a driver's license, when they go to the polls.

Those without a driver's license can also offer a copy of one of the following: a valid photo ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government check or other government document that shows the voter's name and address.

Those who don't have any form of identification or refuse to supply one will be allowed to vote on paper ballot, not in the machines, according to the Board of Elections. Those votes will be counted if they are verified to match registration forms.

The new rule is part of the federal Help America Vote Act, which Congress passed after the turmoil in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.

What Are Your Voting Rights?

The New York Voter's Bill of Rights guarantees the right to:

Vote: The right to vote includes voting for candidates and questions on the ballot.

Have Your Vote Count: Vote on a voting system that is in working condition and that will allow votes to be accurately counted.

Secrecy in Voting: Secrecy in voting will be preserved for all elections.

Freedom in Voting: Cast your vote, free from coercion or intimidation by poll workers or any other person.

Permanent Registration: Once registered to vote, you will continue to remain qualified to vote from an address within your county or city.

Accessible Elections: Non-discriminatory equal access to the election system for all voters, including the elderly, disabled, alternative language minorities, military and overseas citizens, as required by federal and state laws.

Assistance in Voting: You may ask for help in voting because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.

Instructions in Voting: You can view a sample ballot in this polling place prior to voting, and before entering the machine, you may request help in how to operate the machine.

Absentee Voting: If you will be out of your county of residence on Election Day, or are unable to go to your polling place due to illness or physical disability, you may cast an absentee ballot.

Affidavit Voting: Whenever your name does not appear in the official poll book, you will be offered an affidavit ballot.

What If I Encounter Problems At The Polls?

If a poll worker says you are not on the list, ask an inspector to verify that you are at the correct Election and Assembly District for your address. If you believe that you are eligible to vote, you can ask for a paper or affidavit ballot. After the election, the Board of Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you are deemed eligible to vote and were at the correct polling site.

The Board of Elections says that it has increased efforts to make polling places accessible for senior citizens and handicapped voters, but they admit that there are still problems at some sites. Voters who feel that their polling site is inaccessible should call the Voter Registration Unit of their local borough office for information.

If you encounter problems at the polls, call one of the following places:
- League of Women Voters Election Day Hotline: 212-725-3541
- New York Public Interest Research Group: 212-822-0282
- New York Civil Liberties Union: 212-344-3005.

For assistance in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, Khmer and English, call the Asian American Legal Defense Fund <http://www.aaldef.org/> at 800-966-5946.

V. THE RESULTS

How Do I Find Out Who Won?

On the night of the Election beginning at 9:00 p.m. when the polls close, and in the days after, visit <http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005_ge_results.php> Gotham Gazette's Election Results<http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005_pe_results.php>.