All eyes are on this month’s pivotal New York City mayoral race, but LGBTQ candidates are also on the ballot in other contests across the city, including the race for Manhattan borough president and some City Council seats.
This year’s election cycle primarily features established LGBTQ candidates who are either running for re-election in the City Council or seeking a new office. Many of the races with LGBTQ candidates are not very competitive, but some candidates do have multiple opponents.
Among the races to watch include the primary contest to replace outgoing Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who is running for New York City comptroller. Out gay State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is running for borough president for the second time in as many election cycles, having lost to Levine by seven points in the 2021 Democratic primary.
Hoylman-Sigal’s top opponent in the race is Manhattan Councilmember Keith Powers, who chairs the City Council’s Rules, Privileges, and Elections Committee. Hoylman-Sigal, for his part, chairs the State Senate’s Judiciary Committee. Powers has served in the City Council since 2018, while Hoylman-Sigal has been a state senator since 2013 and has successfully led efforts to pass laws such as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), the ban on conversion therapy practiced on minors, and the repeal of the ban on Walking While Trans.
Meanwhile, the LGBTQIA+ Caucus in the City Council features five Democrats running for re-election — Chi Ossé and Crystal Hudson of Brooklyn, Tiffany Cabán and Lynn Schulman of Queens, and Erik Bottcher of Manhattan — and one Republican, David Carr of Staten Island.
Among those candidates, Hudson has the most competition, with three others on the primary ballot in District 35. Hudson’s competitors are Dion Michael Ashman, who formerly served on Community Board 9; Washington Avenue Botanic Block Association founder Hector Robertson; and Kenny Lever, who will be on the ballot but does not appear to have a campaign website. Ossé’s lone opponent in District 36 is Reginald Swiney, while Bottcher is facing Jacqueline Lara in District 1. Schulman, Cabán, and Carr are running unopposed.
City Council terms typically last four years, but the districts are remade once every decade, triggering a brief period during which four-year terms transform into two-year terms for two cycles. The current members who took office in 2021 successfully sought re-election two years ago, and now they’re returning to seek four-year terms.
Another out candidate running for City Council is former Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City president Justin Sanchez, who is running for the open seat in the Bronx’s District 17, which includes Mott Haven-Port Morris, Melrose, Hunts Point, Longwood, North & South Brother Islands, Morrisania, Crotona Park East, Concourse-Concourse Village, West Farms, Soundview-Bruckner-Bronx River.
Sanchez’s opponents in the race include District Leader Freddy Perez, former state committee member Elvis Santana, and state committee member Antirson Ortiz. Salamanca is supporting Perez, according to City and State, but Sanchez leads in fundraising and spending.
Early voting in the primary election begins on June 14 and concludes on June 22. Election day is June 24.
