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Queens political landscape set to
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO AND ZACHARY GEWELB
Polls are officially closed for the general election,
and unofficial results have started to trickle in.
New Yorkers went out to cast their votes during
the consequential general election on Tuesday, Nov.
2, which includes voting for who will become the
next mayor of New York City — with AP calling the
race for Eric Adams shortly after polls closed — as
well as other citywide races for comptroller and public
advocate. Visit amny.com and politicsny.com for
coverage of citywide races.
New Yorkers also voted on five ballot proposals
to change some segments of the state’s constitution,
including the redistricting process, environmental
protections, voting and absentee ballots access and
the Civil Court’s function.
The general election didn’t use ranked-choice voting
(RCV) this time around, unlike in the competitive
primary election.
From Oct. 23 to Oct. 31, 36,456 Queens residents —
about 21.5% of 169,879 early voters citywide — took
advantage of early voting, according to the unofficial
count from the New York City Board of Elections
(BOE).
Voter turnout appeared relatively low in poll sites
across Queens. However, voters appeared more energetic
in some districts, particularly in the more
competitive races for City Council District 19 and 32.
In District 19, three candidates — Democratic
candidate and former Councilman Tony Avella, Republican
candidate Vicki Paladino and Conservative
candidate John-Alexander Sakelos — looked to
replace term-limited incumbent Councilman Paul
Vallone. The district covers the neighborhoods of
Auburndale, Bay Terrace, Bayside, Beechhurst, College
Point, Douglaston, Flushing, Little Neck, Malba
and Whitestone.
At a polling site in Little Neck, some voters appeared
to lean toward Paladino, with volunteers still
campaigning for her Tuesday afternoon.
In District 32, three candidates — Democratic
candidate Felicia Singh, Republican candidate
Joann Ariola and Community first candidate
Kenichi Wilson — also battled it out to represent
the southern Queens area. The district, which has
been represented by term-limited Councilman Eric
Ulrich, is the only Republican held City Council seat
in Queens.
The district covers the neighborhoods of Belle
Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard
Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond
Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone
Park, West Hamilton Beach and Woodhaven.
Throughout the south Queens district, many voters
went out to vote in person and said some of their
most important issues include crime and vaccine
mandates. Ariola and Singh were also seen campaigning
and talking with voters at polling sites.
Queens residents also voted for borough president,
having to choose between Democratic incumbent
Donovan Richards and Republican candidate
TIMESLEDGER | Q 18 NS.COM | NOV. 5 - NOV. 11, 2021
Voting booths at the Dayton Tower West polling site in Rockaway Park on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.
Thomas Zmich.
Below you’ll find the preliminary results from the
city’s Board of Elections for Queens borough president
and local City Council races as of the morning
of Wednesday, Nov. 3.
Queens borough president
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Donovan Richards
(incumbent)
REPUBLICAN/CONSERVATIVE/SAVE OUR
CITY CANDIDATE:Thomas Zmich
Richards currently leads Zmich, having secured
65.72% of the votes with 97.72% of precincts reported,
according to unofficial results from the city’s Board
of Elections as of the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 3.
Richards thanked his family, colleagues and supporters
at his election party held at Vetro Restaurant
and Lounge — located at 164-49 Cross Bay Blvd. in
Howard Beach — with live entertainment, dinner
and a prayer service.
“We are here to work with everyone because
that’s what this borough is about. There are 190
countries represented with over 350 languages and
dialects spoken in this borough. We are not building
any walls in this county — we are breaking those
walls down,” Richards said. “This is not Trump’s
town; this is our town. We have work to do ahead of
us over the course of the next eight years as borough
president.”
Richards, who was a former city councilman representing
Photo by Paul Frangipane
the 27th District in southeast Queens, was
sworn into office last year following a special election
after Melinda Katz became district attorney. He
will now serve four years as borough president.
“We started diversifying the community boards,
and we are going to finish that. There’s a lot of work
to be done. With $70 million in capital funding, we
were able to bring that money into every corner of
our borough,” Richards said. “Some people may not
like it, but we didn’t come here to make friends. We
came here to get something done — for the underserved
and underprivileged.”
City Council District 19
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Tony Avella
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: Vickie Paladino
CONSERVATICE/SAVE OUR CITY CANDIDATE:
John-Alexander Sakelos
Paladino currently leads Avella and Sakelos, having
secured 49.72% of the votes with 99% of precincts
reported, according to unofficial results from the city’s
BOE as of Wednesday morning, Nov. 3. Avella trailed
with 42.95% of the votes.
City Council District 20
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Sandra Ung
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE:Yu-Ching Pai
Ung currently leads Pai, having secured 59.44% of
the votes with 98.91% of precincts reported, according
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