FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 • PRIMARY GUIDE • THE QUEENS COURIER 19
primary guide
Primary ballot features nine
competitive Queens City Council races
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
Democratic voters in nine Queens City
Council districts should head to the polls
on Tuesday, Sept. 12, for primary elections
that, in many cases, will decide who
will be each district’s voice in City Hall
beginning next year.
Incumbents are seeking re-nomination
in two-thirds of the borough’s competitive
City Council district primary races.
Voters in two other districts are looking
to fi ll vacancies created by outgoing (or,
in one case, expelled) lawmakers.
Th e Democratic primary is open only
to registered Democratic voters, and the
winners will advance to the November
general election to face Republican and/
or third-party opponents. Th e primary
also includes the mayoral and public
advocate contests in which the incumbents
— Mayor Bill de Blasio and Public
Advocate Letitia James — are expected to
easily win.
De Blasio is facing four challengers:
former City Councilman Sal Albanese
of Brooklyn, tech entrepreneur Michael
Tolkin, attorney Richard Bashner and
director of the Police Reform Organizing
Project Robert Gangi. James, meanwhile,
is squaring off against history professor
David Eisenbach.
In the pages ahead, you’ll see profi les of
some of the candidates in a few key races.
What follows on this page is a rundown
on who’s on the primary ballot in Queens,
with most information about each candidate
from the Campaign Finance Board’s
Voter Guide:
21st District (East Elmhurst, Elmhurst,
Jackson Heights, and Corona in Queens,
including Flushing Meadows Corona
Park, LeFrak City and LaGuardia Airport)
With incumbent City Councilwoman
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland not seeking
re-election, the campaign to replace her
comes down to two well-known politicians
in the district: Assemblyman
Francisco Moya and former State Senator
Hiram Monserrate. Moya said he would
work to build on Ferraras-Copeland’s legacy
and fi ght to reduce the cost of living,
while also expanding school programs
and standing up to the Trump administration.
Monserrate, who was previously
jailed for public corruption and
expelled from offi ce aft er being convicted
of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, pledged
to use his previous positive experience
in government to support local organizations,
create aff ordable housing and
put for a new development plan for the
Willets Point area.
23rd District (Bayside, Bellerose,
Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows,
Glen Oaks, Hollis, Hollis Hills,
Holliswood, Little Neck, Queens Village)
Elected in 2015 to fi ll out the remainder
of former City Councilman Mark
Weprin’s term in offi ce, City Councilman
Barry Grodenchik is seeking his fi rst full
four-year term of his own against engineer
Benny A. Itterra. Grodenchik touted
his three decades in government and
pledged, if re-elected, to improve schools,
keep the street safe and fi ght to lower
property taxes. Itterra did not submit a
profi le to the CFB Voter Guide; in a fullpage
ad in Th e Queens Courier, he stated
that he would work to end public corruption,
lower taxes and make infrastructure
investments.
24th District (Kew Gardens Hills,
Pomonok, Electchester, Fresh Meadows,
Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood,
Parkway Village, Jamaica Hills, Jamaica)
City Councilman Rory Lancman is
seeking a second term at City Hall and
is facing a challenge from Mohammad
Rahman, a case manager for the city
Department of Social Services. Lancman
pledged to build on his eff orts to expand
universal pre-K throughout the district,
bolster public safety and reduce small
business fi nes. Rahman stated that he’s
not a “career politician” and said he
would work to secure a fair share of public
funding and services while also fi ghting
for immigration rights and public
safety improvements.
27th District (Cambria Heights, Hollis,
Jamaica, St. Albans, Queens Village, and
Springfi eld Gardens)
Also seeking a second term at City Hall
is Councilman I. Daneek Miller, but
he is getting a challenge from Anthony
Rivers, a former NYPD lieutenant. Miller
touted his record over the last four years
to bring an aff ordable transit fare program
(the Freedom Ticket) for southeast
Queens residents as well as advocating
for increased aff ordable housing, worker
protections and stable property tax rates.
Rivers says that the city needs to do more
to make housing more aff ordable in the
region, and pledged to bring champion
increased, high-quality programs and services
for senior citizens and children.
28th District (Jamaica, Richmond Hill,
Rochdale, South Ozone Park)
Th ree candidates have emerged in the
race to succeed former City Councilman
Ruben Wills, who was expelled from
offi ce in July aft er being convicted of public
corruption charges.
Community Board 12 Chairperson
Adrienne Adams, selected by the Queens
County Democratic Party to fi ll the ballot
slot that Wills forfeited, pledged
to oppose the continued placement of
homeless shelters in the district, while
also fi ghting illegal dumping, illegal truck
parking and other quality of life problems.
Richard David, who’s chief of staff
at the Administration for Children’s
Services, said he would give the district
a fresh start at City Hall, and would fi ght
to bring in new youth and senior centers,
more aff ordable housing and greater educational
opportunities. Attorney Hettie
Powell said she would work to improve
public education, create partnerships to
boost economic development for all and
seek greater funding for increased city
services.
32nd District (Belle Harbor, Breezy
Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach,
Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park,
Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury,
South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach,
Woodhaven)
A trio of candidates are fi ghting for
the right to square off against incumbent
Republican City Councilman Eric Ulrich
in the November general election.
Helal Sheikh, a public school teacher,
stated that he’ll work to champion a clean
environment while also fi ghting for additional
resources to keep the community
safe, improve public schools and create
jobs. Mike Scala, former legislative
director in the State Senate, pledged to
increase public transportation options,
investigate the “Build it Back” program
to rebuild homes damaged or destroyed
during Hurricane Sandy and bring into
the district innovative public school programs.
Housing advocate William Ruiz
has made constructing aff ordable housing
his top priority if elected, and he also
pledged to expand aft er-school programs
and bring modern technology into the
NYPD to help fi ght crime.
Know when you vote
Th e polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 9
p.m.; if you’re on line to vote just before the
polls close, you will be able to cast a vote.
Polling sites may have changed in
the last year; the city Board of Elections
mailed notices to registered voters weeks
ago. If you’re unsure of where to vote,
visit www.vote.nyc.ny.us to search the
NYC Poll Site Locator by your home
address, or call 212-VOTE-NYC for more
information.
If you are a registered Democrat but
your name is not on the voting roll for
unknown reasons, you have the right to
ask for an affi davit ballot to cast your vote.
See a poll worker for further assistance.