You are reading

Special Election to Fill City Council Seat Vacated by Richards Set for February

Photo: Richards For Queens

Dec. 4, 2020 By Allie Griffin

The special election to fill the city council seat vacated by Donovan Richards is slated to take place at the end of February.

Mayor Bill de Blasio set the date for the special election for Tuesday, Feb. 23. Candidates will be vying to represent the 31st Council District — which covers Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens.

The council seat became empty when former Richards left the position to become Queens borough president this week. Richards, who was term-limited, won the November general election for borough president and assumed office on Wednesday.

Residents can vote either in-person or via absentee ballot in the special election. The special election will be one of the first to employ ranked-choice voting in New York City.

The winner will assume office immediately and will only fill the seat until Dec. 31, 2021, when Richards’ term would have ended.

The winner is also likely to compete to serve a full term that starts Jan. 1, 2022. This involves a primary in June 2021 followed by the general election in November 2021.

There are 10 people in the running for the 2021 election, according to the NYC Campaign Finance Board. Three candidates — Latoya Benjamin, Franck Joseph and Richard’s former Chief of Staff, Manuel Silva — have already raised thousands of dollars.

The other candidates vying to be the next representative for the 31st council district are Monique T Charlton, Latanya Collins, Selvena N Brooks-Powers, Nicole S Lee, Nancy J Martinez, Perri Pierre and Shawn Rux.

These candidates are also likely to appear on the ballot for the special election.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

Featured Events

Post an Event

View All Events…

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Dan the Man

Hello, I have a suggestion , just leave the seat open. I believe someone once asked the question, what is the difference between a rubber stamp and a city council member and the answer is the rubber stamp leaves an impression. If we did not fill the seat but let the next door council members take care of the constituents then we could save some money for the city. I know pe0ple will not like this idea but really if they do not fill the seat will anyone really notice

1
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News
Police seek woman who attacked 12-year-old boy and stole phone on Jamaica Avenue: NYPD

Police from the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill are still looking for a grown woman who allegedly slapped a young boy repeatedly on Jamaica Avenue before stealing his cell phone on Sunday, Dec. 8.

The stranger approached the 12-year-old victim near 126th Street on Jamaica Avenue at around 4:20 p.m. and began to argue with the youngster. The dispute escalated into violence when the assailant began slapping the child multiple times in his head and snatched his cell phone, police said. She was last seen running off, traveling westbound on Jamaica Avenue toward Bessemer Street.

Read More
0
Homeless men charged in deadly 7 train subway brawl in Woodside: DA

Three homeless men were arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Tuesday and variously charged with felony robbery, attempted gang assault, and assault for allegedly stealing the belongings of a 69-year-old homeless man who was asleep on a Manhattan-bound 7 train in Woodside early Sunday morning.

The victim woke up and tried to regain his property. During the ensuing brawl, the victim fatally stabbed a 37-year-old assailant and slashed a second man. The victim has not been charged in the fatal stabbing. The investigation by the NYPD’s Queens Homicide Squad and members of the 108th Precinct in Long Island City remains ongoing.

Read More
0
Hunt for suspect after 20-minute groping spree targets four in Southeast Queens: NYPD

Police from the 113th Precinct in Jamaica are looking for a serial groper who targeted three teenage girls and a mother walking with her young son in Southeast Queens on the morning of Monday, Dec. 16.

The suspect struck within a brief 20-minute span, beginning with his first victim, a 16-year-old girl walking near 115th Avenue and 170th Street, just a block south of Archie Spigner Park. At approximately 8:20 a.m., the assailant approached her from behind, grabbed her rear end, and fled the scene, police said.

Read More
0
Load More Articles