New York City's 17th City Council district

New York City's 17th City Council district
Boundaries following the 2020 census
Government
• Councilmember	Rafael Salamanca (D—Longwood)
Population  (2010) [1]
• Total	180,064
Demographics
•  Hispanic	69%
•  Black	27%
•  White	2%
•  Asian	1%
• Other	1%
Registration
•  Democratic	77.5%
•  Republican	4.0%
• No party preference	15.8%
Registered voters (2021) 102,440 [2]

New York City's 17th City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Rafael Salamanca since a 2016 special election to succeed fellow Democrat Maria del Carmen Arroyo. ^[3]

Geography

District 17 covers a series of neighborhoods at the heart of the South Bronx, including some or all of Crotona Park East, Melrose, Hunts Point, Concourse, East Tremont, Morrisania, Longwood, Port Morris, and West Farms. ^[4] Crotona Park, North and South Brother Islands, and The Hub are all located within the district.

The district overlaps with Bronx Community Boards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9, and is contained entirely within New York's 15th congressional district. It also overlaps with the 29th, 32nd, 33rd, and 34th districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 77th, 79th, 84th, 85th, 86th, and 87th districts of the New York State Assembly. ^[5]

Recent election results

2023 (redistricting)

Due to redistricting and the 2020 changes to the New York City Charter, councilmembers elected during the 2021 and 2023 City Council elections will serve two-year terms, with full four-year terms resuming after the 2025 New York City Council elections. ^[6]

2023 New York City Council election, District 17 ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	3,693	84.8
	Republican	Rosaline Nieves	461	10.6
	Conservative	Gonzalo Duran	182	4.2
	Write-in		20	0.5
Total votes			4,356	100.0

2021

An interactive map of District 17

In 2019, voters in New York City approved Ballot Question 1, which implemented ranked-choice voting in all local elections. Under the new system, voters have the option to rank up to five candidates for every local office. Voters whose first-choice candidates fare poorly will have their votes redistributed to other candidates in their ranking until one candidate surpasses the 50 percent threshold. If one candidate surpasses 50 percent in first-choice votes, then ranked-choice tabulations will not occur. ^[8]

2021 New York City Council election, District 17 ^{[9] [10]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	5,428	60.0
	Democratic	Helen Hines	3,539	39.1
	Write-in		82	0.9
Total votes			9,049	100
General election
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	8,729	80.3
	Republican	Jose Colon	1,167	10.7
	Black Women Lead	Lattina Brown	964	8.9
	Write-in		17	0.1
Total votes			10,877	100
	Democratic hold

2017

2017 New York City Council election, District 17 ^{[11] [12]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	4,840	72.2
	Democratic	Helen Hines	1,835	27.4
	Write-in		31	0.4
Total votes			6,706	100
General election
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca	11,040
	Working Families	Rafael Salamanca	472
	Total	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	11,512	92.3
	Republican	Patrick Delices	433	3.5
	Conservative	Oswald Denis	282	2.3
	Empower Society	Elvis Santana	226	1.8
	Write-in		25	0.2
Total votes			12,478	100
	Democratic hold

2016 specials

In late 2015, Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo announced she would resign, triggering an election for her seat. Two special elections were scheduled to fill her seat: one nonpartisan election in February to serve the remainder of the calendar year, followed by a standard partisan primary and general election that September and November to complete the remainder of her term. Both were won by Rafael Salamanca. Like all municipal special elections in New York City, the race is officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation.

February 2016 New York City Council special election, District 17 ^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Community First	Rafael Salamanca	1,455	39.1
	Bronx for All	George Alvarez	902	24.3
	Bronx Not for Sale	Julio Pabón	562	15.1
	Rebuilding Our BX	J. Loren Russell	403	10.8
	Strong Together	Joann Otero	265	7.1
	Bronx Renewal	Marlon Molina	115	3.1
	Write-in		17	0.5
Total votes			3,719	100

The November special election also coincided with federal elections in 2016, including the presidential election, Senate election and other statewide races.

2016 New York City Council special election, District 17 ^{[14] [15]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	2,708	62.0
	Democratic	Helen Hines	1,651	37.8
	Write-in		10	0.2
Total votes			4,369	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca (incumbent)	34,287	99.9
	Write-in		46	0.1
Total votes			34,333	100.0
	Democratic hold

2013

2013 New York City Council election, District 17 ^{[16] [17]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Maria del Carmen Arroyo (incumbent)	4,740	69.3
	Democratic	Julio Pabón	2,101	30.7
	Write-in		1	0.0
Total votes			6,842	100
General election
	Democratic	Maria del Carmen Arroyo (incumbent)	10,845	93.1
	Republican	Jose Colon	580	5.0
	Conservative	Selsia Evans	211	1.8
	Write-in		18	0.1
Total votes			11,654	100
	Democratic hold

References

1. "Census Demographics at the NYC City Council district (CNCLD) level". NYC Open Data. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
2. "Council District Summary Report" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. February 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
3. "District 17 - Rafael Salamanca". New York City Council. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
4. "Council Members & Districts". New York City Council. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
5. "NYC Boundaries Map". BetaNYC. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
6. Pazmino, Gloria (January 15, 2020). "Why the Census Means NYC Lawmakers Will Serve 2-Year Terms Instead of 4". www.ny1.com. New York 1. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
7. "General Election 2023 - Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
8. Rachel Holliday Smith (January 18, 2021). "How Does Ranked Choice Voting Work in New York City?". The City. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
9. "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
10. "General Election 2021 - Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
11. "Primary Election 2017 - Democratic Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
12. "General Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
13. "Special Election 2016 - Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
14. "Primary Election 2016 (Special) - Democratic Member of the City Council - 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
15. "Special Election 11.2016 - Member of the City Council - 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
16. "Primary Election 2013 - Democratic Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
17. "General Election 2013 - Member of the City Council, 17th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2021.