Voters in Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Ridgewood choose a governor, an attorney general, a comptroller and a member of Congress on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and decide five changes to the city charter. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
At least five seats on North Brooklyn and Ridgewood ballots will have new lawmakers in January. Rep. Nydia Velázquez and state Sen. Michael Gianaris are retiring, Assemblymember Claire Valdez is leaving the 37th Assembly District to run for Velázquez’s seat, Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar lost her June primary to David Orkin, and Assemblymember Erik Martin Dilan lost his to Christian Celeste Tate, according to certified Board of Elections results. In the 56th Assembly District, Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, who lost her primary to Eon Huntley, is running a write-in campaign.
Most of the area’s state legislative races have one candidate. In Bushwick, all three do: Julia Salazar for state Senate, Maritza Davila in the 53rd Assembly District and Tate in the 54th.
Below is every race on the ballot in these neighborhoods, according to the Board of Elections’ contest list, followed by what to know before you go.
On every ballot
Every ballot in the city carries the races for governor, state comptroller and attorney general. Gov. Kathy Hochul, with Adrienne E. Adams for lieutenant governor, is on the Democratic and Working Families lines, against Bruce A. Blakeman and Todd Hood on the Republican, Conservative and Vote Affordable lines. Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli (Democratic, Working Families) faces Joseph Hernandez (Republican, Conservative), and Attorney General Letitia James (Democratic, Working Families) faces Saritha Komatireddy (Republican, Conservative). Blakeman has called Hochul Mamdani’s “puppet” and has said he would let local police hand immigrants to ICE again.
In the race’s final days, President Donald Trump urged New Yorkers to vote for Blakeman in a tele-rally Saturday, and Blakeman told a rally in Middle Village not to believe “those phony polls” showing Hochul ahead. Hochul closed her campaign Monday night at a rally in Williamsburg. Uber gave $14.96 million to two committees backing Hochul, and two Madison Square Garden companies controlled by the Dolan family gave $2.7 million to a committee backing Blakeman, state Board of Elections filings show.
Five proposed amendments to the city charter, drafted by the Commission on Government Efficiency that Mayor Zohran Mamdani convened in May, are on every ballot in the city. The sample ballot tells voters, “Remember to vote both sides.” The full ballot text is posted online.
Question 1 would simplify the process for using public space “for uses such as ramps, planters and cafes” by removing mandatory hearings and the City Council’s power to disapprove sidewalk cafes, “while maintaining community and Council input.” The commission’s final report says sidewalk cafe applications now take six to eight months and the single process it proposes would take about two.
Question 2 would let the Procurement Policy Board simplify the questionnaire city contractors fill out, require the board to meet quarterly and remove a mandatory hearing on a required client services report. The commission says its procurement changes would cut the city’s procurement timeline by 12%.
Question 3 would simplify review of street safety projects, fast-track the disposition of unused city property with approval from the City Planning Commission, and speed up leasing of offices for the city workforce.
Question 4 would create a centralized construction permits hub, move waterfront permitting from the Department of Small Business Services to the Department of Buildings and allow additional Buildings officials to approve construction.
Question 5 would set a target for the city’s rainy day fund of 12% of city tax revenue for the prior fiscal year and require the mayor to develop a method for calculating deposits, which would remain subject to approval in the city budget. A 2022 report from the city comptroller’s office recommended a 16% target to stabilize tax revenues “for the full length of an average recession.”
Congress
The 7th Congressional District covers Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Ridgewood and part of Bedford-Stuyvesant. The ballot lists Claire Valdez on the Democratic and Working Families lines, Melvin Rivera on the Republican and Conservative lines and Priscilla Ghaznavi on the Our Future line. Valdez voted early with her DSA slate mates in Ridgewood on Oct. 27.
The 8th Congressional District covers most of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Rep. Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic) faces Lewis Mizrahi (Republican, Conservative).
State Senate
The 18th District includes Bushwick and parts of Williamsburg and Ridgewood. The 59th includes Greenpoint and part of Williamsburg, the 12th includes most of Ridgewood, and the 25th and 20th include Bedford-Stuyvesant.
State Senate, 18th District: Julia Salazar, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate. Salazar pushed this year to tax billionaires in the state budget.
State Senate, 59th District: Kristen Gonzalez, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate.
State Senate, 12th District: Aber Kawas (Democratic) and Han-Khon To (Republican).
State Senate, 25th District: Jabari Brisport, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate.
State Senate, 20th District: Zellnor Y. Myrie, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate.
Assembly
Assembly, 50th District: Emily Gallagher, on the Democratic line, is the only candidate.
Assembly, 53rd District: Maritza Davila, on the Democratic line, is the only candidate.
Assembly, 54th District: Christian Celeste Tate, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate. Tate beat Dilan in the June primary, 4,192 votes to 2,550, according to certified Board of Elections results.
Assembly, 37th District: Samantha Kattan, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate.
Assembly, 38th District: David Orkin (Democratic, Working Families) and Ruben D. Cruz II (Republican, Queens United).
Assembly, 28th District: Andrew D. Hevesi (Democratic), Jonathan Rinaldi (No Kings) and David J. Kemp (4 Our Immigrants).
Assembly, 52nd District: Jo Anne Simon (Democratic, Working Families) and Brett Wynkoop (Republican, Conservative).
Assembly, 56th District: Eon Huntley, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate on the ballot. Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, who lost the June primary to Huntley, is running a write-in campaign.
Assembly, 57th District: Phara Souffrant Forrest (Democratic, Working Families) and Yolanda Allison (Republican).
Assembly, 55th District: Latrice M. Walker, on the Democratic and Working Families lines, is the only candidate.
Judges
Brooklyn, state Supreme Court, 2nd Judicial District, four seats: Betsey Jean-Jacques (Democratic, Republican, Conservative), Hemalee J. Patel (Democratic, Republican), Sherveal Mimes (Democratic, Republican, Conservative), Lola Waterman (Democratic, Republican, Conservative) and William D. Spain Jr. (Conservative).
Brooklyn, Civil Court, countywide, four seats: Danielle A. Noel, Linda Lo Cascio, Celeste Felix and Christine G. Ortiz, all on the Democratic line.
Queens, state Supreme Court, 11th Judicial District, three seats: Edwin I. Novillo (Democratic), Oma D. Phillips (Democratic), Gail A. Adams (Democratic), Gary Muraca (Republican) and David A. Bellon (Republican).
Queens, Civil Court, countywide, three seats: Edmond Wong (Democratic), Julie M. Milner (Democratic, Republican), Jasmine I. Valle-Bueno (Democratic), Thomas D. Barra (Republican, Conservative) and Michael Mossa (Republican, Conservative).
Some ballots also include a Civil Court district judge. The sample ballot at findmypollsite.vote.nyc shows whether yours does.
Before you go
Election Day poll sites can differ from early voting sites. To find your poll site and see your sample ballot, enter your home address at findmypollsite.vote.nyc or call the Board of Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692).
Registered voters do not need to show ID to vote unless they did not provide identification with their registration; a voter in that situation can still vote by affidavit ballot. The registration deadline for this election was Oct. 24.
A completed mail ballot can be mailed with a postmark no later than Nov. 3, dropped at the county Board of Elections office by 9 p.m. Nov. 3, or dropped at an Election Day poll site by 9 p.m. Nov. 3. Return envelopes need no postage. A voter who has been issued a mail ballot can no longer vote on a machine at the polls but can still vote in person by affidavit ballot.
The city’s Civic Engagement Commission is stationing interpreters at 100 poll sites on Election Day, none of them in Bushwick, and the Board of Elections provides Spanish interpretation at poll sites in every borough. Voters can also bring someone to help them, as long as it is not their employer or an officer of their union.
The state attorney general’s Election Protection Hotline, (866) 390-2992, is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. Complaints can also be filed at electionhotline.ag.ny.gov. Attorney General Letitia James’s office reminded voters on Oct. 27 that military troops and armed federal officers, including ICE, CBP and FBI agents, are not allowed at polling places under state and federal law.
Polls close at 9 p.m., and watch parties in Bushwick, Ridgewood and Bed-Stuy start as early as 7 p.m.
Featured image: Photos: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, CC BY 4.0 (Valdez); NY Senate Photo, CC BY 2.0 (Salazar); New York State Assembly (Davila); Tessa Bury, CC BY 4.0 (Tate). Composite by Bushwick Daily
