New York City's 47th City Council district

Last updated

New York City's 47th City Council district
New York City Council District 47 (2020).svg
Boundaries following the 2020 census
Government
  Councilmember. Justin Brannan
. DBay Ridge
Population
 (2010) [1]
  Total
161,814
Demographics
   White 57%
   Asian 19%
   Hispanic 14%
   Black 9%
  Other2%
Registration
   Democratic 52.9%
   Republican 17.3%
  No party preference27.0%
Registered voters (2021) 92,039 [2]

New York City's 47th City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Justin Brannan since 2024; following redistricting, Brannan defeated then-incumbent Ari Kagan. [3]

Contents

Geography

2020s

District 47 covers two areas in southern Brooklyn, linked by a handful of city blocks. The district covers Bay Ridge, Coney Island, Sea Gate and Gravesend, with portions of Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights. Most of Coney Island's attractions, such as the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Riegelmann Boardwalk, are located within the district, as is Calvert Vaux Park.

The district overlaps with Brooklyn Community Boards 10, 11, 13, and 15, and with New York's 8th, 10th, and 11th congressional districts. It also overlaps with the 17th, 23rd, and 26th districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 45th, 46th, 47th, 49th, 51st and 64th districts of the New York State Assembly. [4]

2010s

District 47 is based around Coney Island and other parts of Brooklyn's southern shoreline, including Gravesend, Sea Gate, eastern Bensonhurst, and a small section of Bath Beach. [5] Most of Coney Island's attractions, such as the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Riegelmann Boardwalk, are located within the district.

The district overlaps with Brooklyn Community Boards 11, 13, and 15, and with New York's 8th, 10th, and 11th congressional districts. It also overlaps with the 17th, 22nd, and 23rd districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, and 49th districts of the New York State Assembly. [6]

Members representing the district

MembersPartyYears servedElectoral history
District established January 1, 1992

Samuel Horwitz
(Coney Island)
Democratic January 1, 1992 –
December 31, 1993
Redistricted from the 33rd district and re-elected in 1991.
Retired.

Howard L. Lasher
(Ocean Parkway)
Democratic January 1, 1994 –
December 31, 2001
Elected in 1993.
Re-elected in 1997.
Termed out.
DomenicRecchia.jpg
Domenic Recchia
(Gravesend)
Democratic January 1, 2002 –
December 31, 2013
Elected in 2001.
Re-elected in 2003.
Re-elected in 2005.
Re-elected in 2009.
Termed out and ran for New York State Comptroller.
Mark Treyger, 2016.jpg
Mark Treyger
(Coney Island)
Democratic January 1, 2014 –
December 31, 2021
Elected in 2013.
Re-elected in 2017.
Termed out.
Ari Kagan, 2023.jpg
Ari Kagan
(Gravesend)
Democratic January 1, 2022 –
December 31, 2023
Elected in 2021.
Switched parties in 2022.
Lost re-election.
Republican
Justin Brannan headshot Dec 2017.jpg
Justin Brannan
(Bay Ridge)
Democratic January 1, 2024 –
present
Redistricted from the 43rd district and re-elected in 2023.
Will term out in 2025 and will run for New York City Comptroller.

Recent election results

2025

The results of the Republican primary election for this district were delayed due to the certified margin of victory being less then twenty votes, triggering a hand recount under New York State election law. [7] On July 24, the New York City Board of Elections referred allegations of voter fraud to the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. [8] [9]

2025 New York City Council election, District 47 Republican primary [10]
PartyCandidateMaximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes
Republican George Sarantopoulous21,12650.4%
Republican Richie Barsamian21,11049.6%
Write-in 1411.8%
2025 New York City Council election, District 47 Democratic primary & general election [11]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Kayla Santosuosso 10,466 79.0
Democratic Fedir Usmanov2,68520.3
Write-in 910.7
Total votes13,242 100.0
General election
Democratic Kayla Santosuosso
Working Families Kayla Santosuosso
TotalKayla Santosuosso
Republican George Sarantopoulous
Conservative Richie Barsamian
Write-in
Total votes

2023 (redistricting)

During the 2021-23 term, Ari Kagan defected to the Republican Party. [12] In addition, 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. [13]

2023 New York City Council election, District 47 [14] [15]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Ari Kagan (incumbent) 1,634 75.3
Republican Anna Belfiore-Delfaus27112.5
Republican Avery Pereira25511.8
Write-in 100.5
Total votes2,170 100 [16]
General election
Democratic Justin Brannan (incumbent) 11,517 58.0
Republican Ari Kagan 7,216
Conservative Ari Kagan [17] 1,017
Total Ari Kagan (incumbent)8,23341.5
Write-in 1030.5
Total votes19,853
Democratic win (new boundaries)

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. [18]

2021 New York City Council election, District 47 Democratic primary [19]
PartyCandidateMaximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes
Democratic Ari Kagan 34,01855.7%
Democratic Steven Patzer33,19444.3%
Democratic Joseph Packer21,07113.4%
Democratic Alec Brook-Krasny 27599.5%
Write-in 1390.5%
New York City's 47th City Council district
An interactive map of District 47
2021 New York City Council election, District 47 general election [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Ari Kagan 7,933 53.1
Republican Mark Szuszkiewicz6,443
Conservative Mark Szuszkiewicz532
TotalMark Szuszkiewicz6,97546.7
Write-in 250.2
Total votes14,933 100
Democratic hold

2017

2017 New York City Council election, District 47 [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Mark Treyger 9,103
Working Families Mark Treyger 808
Total Mark Treyger (incumbent) 9,911 72.4
Republican Raimondo Denaro3,205
Conservative Raimondo Denaro546
TotalRaimondo Denaro3,75127.4
Write-in 240.2
Total votes13,686 100
Democratic hold

2013

2013 New York City Council election, District 47 [22] [23]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Mark Treyger 3,234 45.9
Democratic Todd Dobrin1,99928.4
Democratic John Lisyanskiy1,81025.7
Write-in 50.0
Total votes7,048 100
General election
Democratic Mark Treyger 9,196 70.3
Republican Andrew Sullivan2,849
Conservative Andrew Sullivan640
TotalAndrew Sullivan3,48926.7
School ChoiceConnis Mobley2471.9
Write-in 1441.1
Total votes13,076 100
Democratic hold

References

  1. "Census Demographics at the NYC City Council district (CNCLD) level". NYC Open Data. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  2. "Council District Summary Report" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. February 21, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  3. "District 47 – Justin Brannan". New York City Council. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  4. "NYC Boundaries Map". BetaNYC. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  5. "Council Members & Districts". New York City Council. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  6. "NYC Boundaries Map". BetaNYC. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  7. "Canvass Information and Mail Ballots" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  8. Root, Jay (July 25, 2025). "Election Officials Allege Possible Voter Fraud in Republican Primary". The New York Times . Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  9. Cuza, Bobby (July 24, 2025). "Amid reports of voter fraud, a City Council Republican primary is still too close to call". NY1 . Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  10. "2025 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, REP Council Member 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  11. "2025 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  12. Gartland, Michael (December 8, 2022). "NYC Councilman Ari Kagan steps down as committee head after Dem-to-GOP flip". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  13. 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.
  14. "2023 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, REP Council Member 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  15. "General Election 2023 - Member of the City Council, 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  16. Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
  17. Marked as Conservative/Parent Party.
  18. Rachel Holliday Smith (January 18, 2021). "How Does Ranked Choice Voting Work in New York City?". The City. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  19. "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  20. "General Election 2021 - Member of the City Council, 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  21. "General Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  22. "Primary Election 2013 - Democratic Member of the City Council, 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  23. "General Election 2013 - Member of the City Council, 47th Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 6, 2021.