14 THE QUEENS COURIER • MARCH 25, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Ranked-choice voting leads
Brooks-Powers to victory in
District 31 special election
BY BILL PARRY AND JACOB KAYE
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Selvena Brooks-Powers is the winner of
the special election for the 31st District
City Council seat vacated by Queens
Borough President Donovan Richards last
year. The special election marks the first
time a ranked-choice voting count was
used to determine the winner of an election
in New York City.
After leading the nine-candidate field
with 38 percent of the vote on Election
Day on Feb. 23, Brooks-Powers added to
her lead during the absentee process and
crossed the 50 percent threshold Thursday
during the reallocation of votes under the
ranked-choice voting system.
“I am honored to be elected by the residents
of the 31st City Council
District in southeast Queens,”
Brooks-Powers said. “I
stand on the shoulders
of the leaders that have
come before me, but
especially that of
Juanita Watkins, the
first woman of color
to serve a NYC
Council district and
the only woman to
have ever served the
31st District, almost
20 years ago.”
The district encompasses
the neighborhoods
of Arverne,
Brookville, Edgemere,
Far Rockaway,
Laurelton, Rosedale
and Springfield Gardens.
This is the first time the
ranked-choice voting system
has been used to determine
the winner
of a council
race since the
program was
approved by
voters in
2019.
“Running for office takes commitment
and drive, and I wish the best for the
other candidates,” Brooks-Powers said.
“I remain thankful to everyone who supported
me during the campaign – my family,
friends, mentors, faith-based leaders,
community leaders, and brothers and
sisters in labor.”
Brooks-Powers captured 51.6 percent
with 3,841 votes. Pesach Osina finished
second with 2,674 votes, according to
the city’s Board of Election. The candidates
were the last two standing, after the
remaining seven were eliminated during
the counting process.
Osina, who finished second, behind
Richards, in the 2014 special election
for the same seat, congratulated Brooks-
Powers after the count was completed.
“We ran a great campaign, but the voters
of Queens’ 31st Council
District have exercised
their right, and have
used the power of
their votes, their
r anked-choi c e
votes … and
they have spoken,”
Osina
said. “I congratulate
Selvena
Brooks-Powers
on her victory
as the next person
to represent
our community in
the New York City
Council. I wish her
the best as we need
to come together as a
community given the
many challenges
ahead.”
Osina did not
commit to
running again in the June Democratic primary
for the seat, but he didn’t rule it out
either.
“I will meet with my advisors as we
map out the next steps defining what
the future holds as we continue our mission
to build bridges throughout all
communities,” he said.
Brooks-Powers looked at the challenging
road ahead Thursday, vowing to
fight for resources during the ongoing
crisis that has hit both the district, and
the city hard.
“We are in the midst of a tremendously
challenging time, and the 31st District
has been hardest hit,” Brooks-Powers said.
“I understand the gravity of the next few
months and am ready to hit the ground
running to begin immediately delivering
for the district. In the last 20 years,
we faced 9/11, Flight 587, Superstorm
Sandy, the 2008 economic crisis and now
the COVID-19 pandemic. Our community
is resilient and we will recover from this
pandemic and come back stronger. I will
work tirelessly to ensure we get our fair
share of support, resources and respect
from City Hall.”
Richards, the former office
holder, took to Twitter to congratulate
his replacement.
“All of the ballots are counted and the
people have spoken: congrats Council
Member-elect Selvena Brooks-Powers!
With this being the first true test of
#RCV, it was great to see democracy in
action and see Brooks-Powers prevail,”
the borough president wrote. “I am confident
CM-elect Brooks-Powers will build
on the work my office and I started and
chart a new course for the future of the
31st District. She will make SEQ proud.”
Powers-Brooks will finish Richards’
term on the City Council and will have
to run again in the June primary and
November general election to serve a full
term.
Powers-Brooks is a lifelong resident
of southeast Queens who
recently served as the M/WBE
compliance project manager
with the JFK Redevelopment
Program.
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Courtesy of Brooks-Powers’ campaign
Selvena Brooks-Powers wins
the special election for
City Council in southeast
Queens.
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