New York City's 31st City Council district

Last updated

New York City's 31st City Council district
New York City Council District 31 (2013).png
Government
  Councilmember. Selvena Brooks-Powers
. DRockaway Beach
Population
 (2010) [1]
  Total160,123
Demographics
   Black 68%
   Hispanic 16%
   White 11%
   Asian 2%
  Other3%
Registration
   Democratic 77.4%
   Republican 5.2%
  No party preference14.7%
Registered voters (2021) 102,579 [2]

New York City's 31st City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Selvena Brooks-Powers since a 2021 special election to succeed fellow Democrat Donovan Richards. [3]

Contents

Geography

District 31 covers the farthest southeastern neighborhoods of Queens as well as the eastern section of the Rockaways, including the neighborhoods of Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale, Arverne, Edgemere, and parts of Springfield Gardens. [4] Rockaway Community Park, Idlewild Park, much of John F. Kennedy International Airport, and some of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge are all located within the district.

The district overlaps with Queens Community Boards 12, 13, and 14, and is contained entirely within New York's 5th congressional district. It also overlaps with the 10th, 14th, and 15th districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 23rd, 29th, 31st, and 32nd districts of the New York State Assembly. [5]

List of members representing the district

MembersPartyYears servedElectoral history
District established January 1, 1974

Angelo J. Arculeo
(Bay Ridge)
Republican January 1, 1974 –
December 31, 1982
Redistricted from the 22nd district and re-elected in 1973.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1977.
Lost re-election.
Sal Albanese, 2013.jpg
Sal Albanese
(Bay Ridge)
Democratic January 1, 1983 –
December 31, 1991
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1985.
Re-elected in 1989.
Redistricted to the 43rd district.

Juanita E. Watkins
(Springfield Gardens)
Democratic January 1, 1992 –
December 31, 1991
Elected in 1991.
Re-elected in 1993.
Re-elected in 1997.
Termed out.
(06-19-19) NY State Senator James Sanders Jr. during Senate Session at the NY State Capitol, Albany NY (cropped).jpg
James Sanders Jr.
(Far Rockway)
Democratic January 1, 1992 –
December 31, 2012
Elected in 2001.
Re-elected in 2003.
Re-elected in 2005.
Re-elected in 2009.
Termed out and ran for New York State Senate.
Donovan Richards, 2020.jpg
Donovan Richards
(Rosedale)
Democratic January 1, 2013 –
December 2, 2020
Elected in 2013.
Re-elected in 2017.
Resigned to become Queens Borough President.
VacantDecember 2, 2020 –
March 19, 2021

Selvena Brooks-Powers
(Rockaway Beach)
Democratic March 19, 2021 –
Elected to finish Richard's term.
Re-elected in 2021.

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 31 [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 8,868 89.2
Republican Daniella May972
Parent PartyDaniella May [8] 81
TotalDaniella May1,05310.6
Write-in 250.2
Total votes9,946

2021

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. [9]

New York City's 31st City Council district
An interactive map of District 31
2021 New York City Council election, District 31 [10] [11]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 10,807 67.4
Democratic Nancy Martinez3,04919.0
Democratic Nicole Lee2,03912.7
Write-in 1360.8
Total votes16,031 100
General election
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 18,070 88.9
Republican Vanessa Simon [12] 1,902
Conservative Vanessa Simon324
TotalVanessa Simon2,22611.0
Write-in 270.1
Total votes20,323 100
Democratic hold

2021 special

In 2020, Councilmember Donovan Richards was elected as Queens borough president, triggering a February 2021 special election for his seat. Like most municipal special elections in New York City, the race was officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation. It was also the first in the city's history to utilize ranked-choice voting (although an earlier special election in the 24th district was nominally ranked-choice, one candidate won with a majority in the first round).

2021 New York City Council special election, District 31 [13]
PartyCandidateMaximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes
Nonpartisan Selvena Brooks-Powers 93,84159.0%
Nonpartisan Pesach Osina92,67441.0%
Nonpartisan Manny Silva81,05915.2%
Nonpartisan LaToya Benjamin75708.0%
Nonpartisan Sherwyn James63865.4%
Nonpartisan Shawn Rux52343.2%
Nonpartisan Nancy Martinez41812.5%
Nonpartisan Latanya Collins31201.6%
Nonpartisan Nicole Lee2771.0%
Write-in 1240.3%

2017

2017 New York City Council election, District 31 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Donovan Richards 19,396
Working Families Donovan Richards 807
Total Donovan Richards (incumbent) 20,203 98.8
Write-in 1250.6
Write-in Derek Hamilton1090.5
Total votes20,437 100
Democratic hold

2013

2013 New York City Council election, District 31 [15] [16]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Donovan Richards (incumbent) 6,762 51.6
Democratic Michael Duncan4,69635.8
Democratic Ricardo Brown1,64812.6
Write-in 20.0
Total votes13,108 100
General election
Democratic Donovan Richards (incumbent) 18,182 91.8
Republican Scherie Murray1,0795.4
Jobs & EducationRicardo Brown5302.7
Write-in 220.1
Total votes19,813 100
Democratic hold

2013 special

In 2012, Councilman James Sanders Jr. was elected to the 10th district of the New York State Senate, triggering a February 2013 special election for his seat. Like most municipal special elections in New York City, the race was officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation.

2013 New York City Council special election, District 31 [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Community Unity Donovan Richards 2,646 29.1
Common ValuesPesach Osina2,56728.2
The ForwardJacques Leandre1,21613.4
Organize NowMichael Duncan1,01611.2
Rebuild Now Selvena Brooks [18] 1,01311.1
Better ServiceMarie Adam-Ovide1892.1
Grand CoalitionSaywala Kesselly1701.9
People's ReliefAllan Jennings1531.7
Write-in Earnest Flowers III1051.2
Write-in 160.1
Total votes9,091 100

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References

  1. "Census Demographics at the NYC City Council district (CNCLD) level". NYC Open Data. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. "Council District Summary Report" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. February 21, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  3. "District 31 - Selvena N. Brooks-Powers". New York City Council. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  4. "Council Members & Districts". New York City Council. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. "NYC Boundaries Map". BetaNYC. Retrieved June 28, 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, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  8. Marked as "Mad As Hell/Parent Party".
  9. Rachel Holliday Smith (January 18, 2021). "How Does Ranked Choice Voting Work in New York City?". The City. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  10. "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  11. "General Election 2021 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  12. Marked as "Republican/Save Our City".
  13. "Special Election February 23rd, 2021 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  14. "General Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  15. "Primary Election 2013 - Democratic Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  16. "General Election 2013 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  17. "Special Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  18. Brooks would later run for and win the seat under her married name, Selvena Brooks-Powers.