There are currently 23 Candidates who have Officially Declared or Indicated they are Exploring a Run in the expected February Special Election for New York City Public Advocate.
Attorney General-Elect Letitia James will Officially vacate the Office of New York City Public Advocate on January 1st, setting off the Next Steps of the Process, whereby Mayor Bill de Blasio will be Required to Call a Special Election within a few days of the Vacancy for what will be the First Citywide Special Election.
Candidates have already been hitting the Forum and Debate Circuit, with Groups and Voters across the City eager to hear from those seeking to become One of just Three Elected Citywide Officials.
The Public Advocate is significantly less Powerful than the Mayor or the Comptroller, but has a Citywide perch, important Responsibilities as a Watchdog and Ombudsperson, the Power to introduce Legislation and file Litigation, and a Bully Pulpit.
It won’t be completely clear who is Running to become the next Public Advocate until Candidates collect Signatures to get on the Ballot and File their Fundraising Numbers with the Campaign Finance Board.
Special Elections in the City are “Nonpartisan,” meaning there are No Party Primaries and Candidates cannot Run on the Major Party Ballot Lines. Each Candidate will Create their own Party Label to Run on, and they’ll need to collect 3,750 Valid Signatures from Registered Voters of any Party or Independents to make the Ballot.
Declared and Exploring Candidates include several Current and Former Elected Officials and a Variety of other Individuals looking to pull off a Surprise Win. With the Prospect of well more than Ten Candidates on the Ballot and Low Voter Turnout virtually a given, the Winner of the Special Election could be Anyone who finds the Right Formula for the necessary Thousands of Voters.
The Winner of the Special Election will quickly have to Win a Regular Election, though, since City Law Dictates that for such a Vacancy, there is not only a Special Election but then a Regular Election, with Party Primaries if needed, the following Fall. So, there will be an Election for Public Advocate in November, with September Party Primaries if necessary, in the Fall of 2019.
Below is a running List of Candidates, either Declared or Exploring:
- Assemblymember Michael Blake (D-79th District, represents part of the Bronx) and is also a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
- Theo Chino is a Bitcoin Entrepreneur, County Committee Member of the 2nd Electoral District of the 71st Assembly District, Member of Community Board 9 in Manhattan, Member of the Democratic Socialist of America.
- Daniel Christmann is a Radio Host.
- David Eisenbach is a Professor of History at Columbia University, who Unsuccessfully Challenged Tish James in the 2017 Democratic Primary for Public Advocate.
- City Council Member Rafael Espinal (D-37th District, Part of Brooklyn).
- Peter Gleason is an Attorney and former Police Officer and Firefighter, who once Represented the infamous “Soccer Mom Madam.”
- Tony Herbert is a Community Activist who was a Candidate for Public Advocate in 2017.
- Ifeoma Ike is an Attorney and Co-Founder of Consultancy Think Rubix, LLC.
- Walter Iwachiw is a perennial Republican Candidate for various Offices: Mayor, State Assembly, CUNY Student Senator, and U.S. President.
- Assemblymember Ron Kim (D-40th District, parts of Queens).
- Nomiki Konst is a Journalist, Activist, and Member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
- Melissa Mark-Viverito is the former Speaker of the City Council who helped Lead the Latino Victory Fund after being Term-Limited out of Office at the end of 2017.
- Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell (D-69th District, part of Manhattan).
- City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez (D-10th District, part of Manhattan).
- Diane Signorile is a Real Estate Broker from Staten Island.
- Nancy Sliwa is an Attorney and Real Estate Broker who ran for Attorney General this year on the Reform Party Line.
- Dawn Smalls is an Attorney who previously worked in the Obama and Clinton Administrations.
- John Tabacco is the New York State Reform Party Secretary.
- City Council Member Eric Ulrich (R-32nd District, part of Queens).
- Assemblymember Latrice Walker (D-55th District, part of Brooklyn).
- City Council Member Jumaane Williams (D-45th District, represents part of Brooklyn).
- Ben Yee is a Technology Entrepreneur, Member of the Democratic State Committee, and Secretary for the Manhattan Democratic Party.
- Mike Zumbluskas is a former Chairman of the Manhattan Independence Party.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
