Group Seeks to Elect AT LEAST 21 Womxn to the NYC Council in 2021
RELEASE* October 19, 2020
New York, NY — Today, 21 in ’21, a grassroots advocacy group founded in 2017 with the goal of getting more womxn elected to the New York City Council, announced the endorsement of 33 candidates who received their membership’s first-choice ranked endorsements for the 2021 election cycle. The ranked endorsements come following a two-months-long application and interview process, as 21 in ’21 is seeking to drastically increase the level of representation for womxn in the City’s government.
The 21 in ’21 board was very intentional in utilizing ranked choice voting as an opportunity to elect womxn all across the City. The City’s adoption of ranked choice voting creates equity and opportunity for womxn to increase their representation on a citywide level. Ranked choice voting has been proven to fight the myth of electability, and help elect diverse candidates up and down the ballot.
Of the 33 first-choice endorsed candidates, 76% are womxn of color, 76% are running for office for the first time, 52% are mothers, 21% served as essential workers during the Covid-19 shut down, 9% identify as LGBTQ and 100% have committed to gender parity in their hiring practices.
“This was a long and thoughtful process, and all of the womxn who applied, with their bold leadership skills and their proven advocacy track records, certainly did not make our endorsement decisions easy,” said 21 in ’21 Executive Board Chair Amelia Adams. “We know having too many strong, qualified applicants is a good problem to have, and we are confident in our slate’s ability to transform New York.”
“Our slate of womxn candidates for City Council are diverse across the full spectrum of identities,” said 21 in ’21 Executive Board Vice Chair Yvette Buckner. “We look forward to our endorsees bringing their life experiences, and the life experiences of their community members, with them to City Hall as we continue to fight for a more representative and equitable New York.”
21 in ’21 is planning to take an active role in each of their first choice endorsed candidate’s campaigns, including a mentorship program for candidates to work with former female City Council Members. 21 in ’21 will also offer each candidate assistance with campaign operations — including grassroots organizing, petitioning, media relations and helping to hire staff. Lastly, the group will seek to amplify the voices and campaign updates of each endorsed candidate through press releases, email blasts, and digital exposure.
Lastly, 21 in ’21 will continue to provide training and work with every ranked candidate on a ranked choice voting strategy within each district.
“21 in ’21 is just not about getting womxn elected, but also setting them up to succeed long term,” said 21 in ’21 Executive Board Secretary Camille Rivera. “Our mentorship program, which pairs current womxn electeds and other electoral stakeholders with our endorsees provides resources and institutional support that helps our candidates hone their leadership skills for years to come.”
“Ranked choice voting is a tool that will help us in our mission to create a New York City Council that better reflects the people of New York,” said 21 in ’21 Executive Board Member At-Large and Chair of the Vota Mama Leadership Council Melissa Lirtsman. “With ranked choice voting we are optimistic that we will see a wave of womxn elected to the Council this year, and are excited to continue to educate voters to understand how they can use the system create a more representative city government.”
The Application Process
21 in ’21 received 78 applications for 33 of New York’s 51 districts in each of the five boroughs. The only districts with term-limited incumbents without applicants were 3, 25, 47 and 50.
To qualify for endorsement, candidates were required to identify as a womxn, have registered with the State Board of Elections, and establish campaign viability — including meeting, or conveying a clear plan to meet, matching funds requirements set by the NYC Campaign Finance Board.
Candidates were then interviewed by 21 in ‘21’s Board of Directors before being screened and voted on for ranked endorsement by the organization’s full membership.
Among the applicants, almost half had already qualified for the City’s matching funds program, despite facing unprecedented obstacles in the face of a global pandemic including health, caregiving and halting all fundraising efforts.
- 68% of applicants say Housing: Home Ownership, Affordable Housing, Public Housing is one of their district’s top 3 issues
- 56% said Education is a top 3 issue.
- 44% said the Impacts of Covid-19: Food Insecurity and Unemployment is a top 3 issue.
Ranked Endorsement List
District 1
TERM LIMITED | MARGARET CHIN
Manhattan: Battery Park City, Civic Center, Chinatown, Financial District, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, NoHo, SoHo, South Street Seaport, South Village, TriBeCa & Washington Square
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — GIGI LI
Second Choice — JENNY LOW
Third Choice — TIFFANY WINBUSH
District 5
TERM LIMITED | BEN KALLOS
Manhattan: Upper East Side’s Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, Roosevelt Island, Midtown East, Sutton Place, El Barrio in East Harlem
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — TRICIA SHIMAMURA
Second Choice — KIM MOSCARITOLO
Third Choice — REBECCA LAMORTE
District 6
TERM LIMITED | HELEN ROSENTHAL
Manhattan: Central Park, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Clinton
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — SARA LIND
District 7
TERM LIMITED | MARK LEVINE
Manhattan: Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — STACY LYNCH
Second Choice — MARIA ORDOÑEZ
District 9
INCUMBENT | BILL PERKINS
Manhattan: Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, Upper West Side, East Harlem
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — SHEBA SIMPSON
Second Choice — KRISTIN RICHARDSON JORDAN
Third Choice — RUTH MCDANIELS
District 10
TERM LIMITED | YDANIS RODRIGUEZ
Manhattan: Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — CARMEN DE LA ROSA
Second Choice — JOHANNA GARCIA
Third Choice — ANGELA FERNÁNDEZ
District 11
SPECIAL ELECTION | ANDREW COHEN
The Bronx: Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Riverdale, Norwood, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, Woodlawn
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — JESSICA HALLER
Second Choice — ABIGAIL MARTIN
Third Choice — MINO LORA
District 12
SPECIAL ELECTION | ANDY KING
The Bronx: Wakefield, Olinville, Edenwald, Eastchester, Williamsbridge, Baychester, Co-op City
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — PAMELA JOHNSON
District 13
INCUMBENT | MARK GJONAJ
The Bronx: Allerton, City Island, Country Club, Edgewater Park, Ferry Point, Locust Point, Morris Park, Pelham Bay, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway, Schuylerville, Silver Beach, Spencer Estates, Throggs Neck, Van Nest, Waterbury LaSalle, Westchester Square, Zerega
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — MARJORIE VELÁSQUEZ
District 14
TERM LIMITED | FERNANDO CABRERA
The Bronx: Morris Heights, University Heights, Fordham, Kingsbridge
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — PIERINA SANCHEZ
Second Choice — YUDELKA TAPIA
District 15
SPECIAL ELECTION | RITCHIE TORRES
The Bronx: Bedford Park, Fordham, Mount Hope, Bathgate, Belmont, East Tremont, West Farms, Van Nest, Allerton, Olinville
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — ISCHIA BRAVO
Second Choice — ELISA CRESPO
District 16
TERM LIMITED | VANESSA GIBSON
The Bronx: Claremont, Concourse, Concourse Village, Highbridge, Morris Heights, Mount Eden, Morrisania
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — ALTHEA STEVENS
District 18
INCUMBENT NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION | RUBEN DIAZ SR.
The Bronx: Soundview, Castle Hill, Parkchester, Clason Point, Harding Park
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — AMANDA FARÍAS
Second Choice — DARLENE JACKSON
District 19
TERM LIMITED | PAUL VALLONE
Queens: Auburndale, Bay Terrace, Bayside, Beechhurst, College Point, Douglaston, Flushing, Little Neck, Malba, Whitestone
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice Candidate — ADRIANA AVILES
District 20
TERM LIMITED | PETER KOO
Queens: Downtown Flushing, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — SANDRA UNG
District 22
TERM LIMITED | COSTA CONSTANTINIDES
Queens: Astoria, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Woodside
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — TIFFANY CABÁN
Second Choice — EVIE HANTZOPOULOS
Third Choice — JAMIE-FAYE BEAN
Republican Primary Candidates
First Choice — FELICIA KALAN
District 24
TERM LIMITED | RORY LANCMAN
Queens: Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Parkway Village, Jamaica Hills, Jamaica
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — DEEPTI SHARMA
District 26
TERM LIMITED | JIMMY VAN BRAMER
Queens: Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City, Astoria, Dutch Kills
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — JULIA FORMAN
Second Choice — JULIE WON
Third Choice — HAILIE KIM
District 27
TERM LIMITED | I. DANEEK MILLER
Queens: Cambria Heights, Hollis, Jamaica, St. Albans, Queens Village, and Springfield Gardens
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — NANTASHA WILLIAMS
District 29
TERM LIMITED | KAREN KOSLOWITZ
Queens: Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — LYNN SCHULMAN
Second Choice — SHARON LEVY
Third Choice — MARCELLE LASHLEY-KABORÉ
District 31
TERM LIMITED | DONOVAN RICHARDS | SPECIAL ELECTION
Queens: Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — SELVENA BROOKS-POWERS
Second Choice — MONIQUE CHARLTON
Third Choice — LATOYA BENJAMIN
District 32
TERM LIMITED | ERIC ULRICH
Queens: Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach, Woodhaven
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — FELICIA SINGH
Second Choice — SHAELEIGH SEVERINO
District 33
TERM LIMITED | STEPHEN LEVIN
Brooklyn: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Fulton Ferry, Greenpoint, Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — ELIZABETH ADAMS
Second Choice — APRIL SOMBOUN
Third Choice — VICTORIA CAMBRANES
District 34
TERM LIMITED | ANTONIO REYNOSA
Brooklyn/Queens: Williamsburg, Bushwick, Ridgewood
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — JENNIFER GUTIÉRREZ
District 35
TERM LIMITED | LAURIE CUMBO
Brooklyn: Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — CRYSTAL HUDSON
Second Choice — RENEE COLLYMORE
Third Choice — DEIRDRE LEVY
District 38
TERM LIMITED | CARLOS MENCHACA
Brooklyn: Red Hook, Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights and portions of Windsor Terrace, Dyker Heights, and Boro Park
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — ALEXA AVILÉS
Second Choice — WHITNEY HU
District 39
TERM LIMITED | BRAD LANDER
Brooklyn: Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Kensington
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — SHAHANA HANIF
Second Choice — BRIGET REIN
District 40
TERM LIMITED | MATHIEU EUGENE
Brooklyn: Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Park, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — RITA JOSEPH
Second Choice — KENYA HANDY-HILLIARD
Third Choice — CECELIA CORTEZ
District 42
TERM LIMITED | INEZ BARRON
Brooklyn: East New York, New Lots, Remsen Village, Spring Creek, Starrett City
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — NIKKI LUCAS
District 46
TERM LIMITED | ALAN MAISEL
Brooklyn: Bergen Beach, Canarsie, Flatlands, Georgetown, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Mill Island, Sheepshead Bay
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — MERCEDES NARCISSE
Second Choice — SHIRLEY PAUL
Third Choice — R. DIMPLE WILLABUS
District 48
TERM LIMITED | CHAIM DEUTSCH
Brooklyn: Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Homecrest, Trump Village, Luna Park, Brightwater Towers, Midwood
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — AMBER ADLER
District 49
TERM LIMITED | DEBORAH ROSE
Staten Island: Arlington, Clifton, Clove Lakes, Concord, Elm Park, Graniteville, Livingston, Mariners Harbor, New Brighton, Port Richmond, Randall Manor, Rosebank, St. George, Snug Harbor, Silver Lake, Stapleton, Sunnyside, West Brighton and Tompkinsville
Democratic Primary Candidates
First Choice — AMOY BARNES
Second Choice — SELINA GREY
Third Choice — KAMILLAH HANKS
