What We Learned From Ranked-Choice Voting's Debut

Plus: The 2021 election as seen from West Farms [View this email in your browser]( [Politics Brief from WNYC + Gothamist] [Keep friends and family informed. Forward the Politics Brief.]( Ranked-Choice Voting, For Real This Time? By [Brigid Bergin]( [an early voting site in Queens] Aifa Eama/Gothamist A handful of New York City voters gave a brief and limited stress-test to the city’s new method of voting in special and primary elections. With a paltry 6% turnout, voters who [braved the snow last]( Tuesday — or cast an early ballot before that — were the first to see what happens when you have the option to rank your top candidates. So far, we know that former three-term City Councilmember James Gennaro is [the odds-on favorite to win the seat](. Unofficial results showed him with a lead of nearly 2,500 votes, a margin that’s wider than the number of outstanding ballots. We also know that a last-minute spending spree from an independent expenditure group boosted his prospects while taking shots at a rival candidate, Moumita Ahmed, [who told my colleague Cindy Rodriguez]( she wasn’t sure she would run again in the June primary after what she went through. "As much as I loved fighting for my community, it’s also a lot to have to put myself out there like that," she said. So, what don’t we know? We still don’t know the official election results because the New York City Board of Elections will continue to accept absentee ballots that arrive today, as long as they are postmarked no later than last Tuesday. They will also accept military ballots through next Monday, 13 days after the election (in a primary, that window narrows to seven days). We also don’t know how many people actually opted to rank their votes, or how many "bullet" voted just for Gennaro or another candidate, risking that their ballot wouldn’t be counted after one round if their pick didn’t win a majority. Why do the lessons of one City Council special election matter? Because this was the first time voters had an option to cast their ballot differently. It was the first time the public education and information efforts that [continue to be subject to judicial scrutiny]( were put into practice. It’s the first time we got to see what strategies special-interest groups and political allies would deploy on behalf of their favorite candidates. In these smaller contests, there will be inevitable lessons for the bigger citywide races where [candidates are starting to take shots at each other]( to break out of the pack. Will we see more [cross endorsements]( Can anyone rise above a crowded field and secure a majority without making nice with at least some of their rivals? Those strategies will be tested once again on a small scale in the special election in the 31st City Council district in Queens, the seat once-held by the current Borough President Donovan Richards. On Thursday, the [Queens Daily Eagle’s David Brand and I will talk with (at least) six of nine candidates vying for this seat]( how ranked choice voting has impacted their campaign strategies, and whether it’s changing how they talk about issues and what issues they talk about. Polls open for this contest on Saturday, February 13th for nine days of early voting before the special election on February 23rd. Until then, we’ll be keeping an eye on the forecast — and on any efforts to get out the vote, or to suppress it, that may crop up along the way. As part of our coverage of the 2021 New York City elections, we’re trying something new with the Politics Brief format. Have feedback? Reply to this email. Have an election-related tip or something you’d like to see covered? Email tips@gothamist.com. Gothamist Guides To The 2021 Election Here's Where The Mayoral Candidates Are Speaking Next We'll be updating [this guide]( regularly with their latest scheduled appearances. [Gracie Mansion] What Does The Mayor Of New York City Do? What [the occupant of Gracie Mansion]( can and can't do. [A voter speaks with a poll worker] How Ranked-Choice Voting Works Here's [how to fill out]( a ranked-choice ballot. [pool-goers in Queens] Who Are The Borough President Candidates? Your primers on the [Queens]( [Brooklyn]( [Staten Island]( [Manhattan]( and [Bronx]( borough president races. Plus: [Here's]( what a borough president does. Here's What Else Is Happening Mayoral candidates are looking to one-up Bill de Blasio's record on affordable housing. Though the current mayor built a near-record amount affordable units, he's been dogged by cries of "affordable for whom?" Many of this year's Democratic candidates are pledging to go further, with ideas like building on vacant lots and adding more public housing. ([Gothamist]( For the first time ever, candidates for mayor took part in a forum where homeless New Yorkers asked the questions. In response to questions about the lack of affordable apartments, several candidates proposed using vacant offices and hotels for more housing for the homeless. ([Gothamist]( Top city politicians and good government advocates want to suspend a rule requiring voter signatures to get on the primary ballot. “We've got over 40 mayoral candidates and over 300 city council candidates that would require at least a half a million New Yorkers’ signatures and much more individual contact to collect those signatures," said mayoral candidate Dianne Morales. "That's a super spreader disaster lying in wait." ([Gothamist]( City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer is facing criticism for accepting campaign donations from real estate developers. Stringer has taken in $250,000 from real estate industry figures who say they view Stringer as a pragmatist they can work with — even as he preaches an anti-developer message on the stump. ([Politico]( Shaun Donovan this week became the first mayoral candidate to launch a serious TV ad campaign. The first commercial, which features cameos from President Barack Obama (Donovan worked in the Obama administration) and Dr. Anthony Fauci, is intended to boost Donovan's relevance and name recognition early on, before he's relegated to second-tier status as a candidate. ([The New York Times]( Andrew Yang's mayoral campaign has cut ties with a donor who was accused of sexual misconduct. Shervin Pishevar, a prominent investor in Uber, was taken off a committee to co-host a Yang fundraiser after learning that Pishevar resigned from his own company in 2017 over accusations that he sexually assaulted or harassed five different women. ([Recode]( [BL pod] The 2021 Election, As Seen From The 10460 Zip Code A new series on The Brian Lehrer Show is looking at this year's citywide elections through the lens of West Farms in the Bronx, a neighborhood that's been economically devastated by the pandemic. Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential election coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2021 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](