2021 is an election year. The officials that New Yorkers elect will take office in 2022 and likely stay in power until 2030. This watershed moment may determine the city’s trajectory for the next decade, and far beyond. If we New Yorkers join together this year, we can set bold visions for this new class of electeds to respond to and follow.
On June 22, 2021, the City’s primary Election Day, there are currently open races for:
- Mayor
- Comptroller
- 4 out of 5 Borough Presidencies (Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Staten Island)
- 36 out of 51 City Council seats
- 1 out of 5 District Attorneys (Manhattan)
Collectively, these officials decide on the following important city-level matters:
City Budget: whether or not to spend, and what proportion of the city budget to spend money on housing, transit, schools, policing, sanitation, jails, city services, and vital programs for New Yorkers.
Policy and Legislation: what laws to pass or what policies to enact around housing, transit, schools, policing, sanitation, jails, city services and contracts, and worker protections.
Land Use: how land should be used, where housing, facilities, and other entities should go, and what the process around land use decisions looks like, including who is consulted (or not).
Response to New Yorkers’ Needs: the City runs or contracts out hundreds of services for New Yorkers around housing, education, health care, transit, workforce development, and vital programs.
Read more on the candidates and how to register to vote.
Over 400 candidates are currently running for municipal office in 2021. You can find out more about each of them by using this resource compiled by Aaron Fernando and Daniela Finlay.
Because our City is primarily comprised of Democratic voters, the winner of most 2021 elections will be effectively decided in the Democratic Primary on June 22nd, 2021. You must be registered to vote as a Democrat who lives in New York City to participate in this election.
- You can look up your voter registration by clicking here.
- If you are not registered to vote, you can do so by filling out the application here and submitting it in person or by mail to the Board of Elections in your borough by May 28th, 2021.
- If you are registered to vote but are not registered at your current address, you can change your address by filling out the application here and submitting it in person or by mail to the Board of Elections in your borough by May 28th, 2021.
- If you are registered to vote but are not enrolled in the Democratic Party, you unfortunately will not be able to change your party affiliation in time for this election.
Additionally, there are also a handful of special elections taking place in various City Council districts ahead of the June Primary. These elections are open (not restricted to a particular party), but are swiftly approaching. You can read more about these elections here.