New York City's 31st City Council district

New York City's 31st City Council district
Government
 • Councilmember. Selvena Brooks-Powers
. D–Rockaway Beach
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total
160,123
Demographics
 • Black68%
 • Hispanic16%
 • White11%
 • Asian2%
 • Other3%
Registration
 • Democratic77.4%
 • Republican5.2%
 • No party preference14.7%
Registered voters (2021) 102,579[2]

New York City's 31st City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Selvena Brooks-Powers since a 2021 special election to succeed fellow Democrat Donovan Richards.[3]

Geography

District 31 covers the farthest southeastern neighborhoods of Queens as well as the eastern section of the Rockaways, including the neighborhoods of Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale, Arverne, Edgemere, and parts of Springfield Gardens.[4] Rockaway Community Park, Idlewild Park, much of John F. Kennedy International Airport, and some of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge are all located within the district.

The district overlaps with Queens Community Boards 12, 13, and 14, and is contained entirely within New York's 5th congressional district. It also overlaps with the 10th, 14th, and 15th districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 23rd, 29th, 31st, and 32nd districts of the New York State Assembly.[5]

List of members representing the district

Members Party Years served Electoral history
District established January 1, 1974

Angelo J. Arculeo
(Bay Ridge) 		Republican January 1, 1974 –
December 31, 1982 		Redistricted from the 22nd district and re-elected in 1973.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1977.
Lost re-election.

Sal Albanese
(Bay Ridge) 		Democratic January 1, 1983 –
December 31, 1991 		Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1985.
Re-elected in 1989.
Redistricted to the 43rd district.

Juanita E. Watkins
(Springfield Gardens) 		Democratic January 1, 1992 –
December 31, 1991 		Elected in 1991.
Re-elected in 1993.
Re-elected in 1997.
Termed out.

James Sanders Jr.
(Far Rockway) 		Democratic January 1, 1992 –
December 31, 2012 		Elected in 2001.
Re-elected in 2003.
Re-elected in 2005.
Re-elected in 2009.
Termed out and ran for New York State Senate.

Donovan Richards
(Rosedale) 		Democratic January 1, 2013 –
December 2, 2020 		Elected in 2013.
Re-elected in 2017.
Resigned to become Queens Borough President.
Vacant December 2, 2020 –
March 19, 2021

Selvena Brooks-Powers
(Rockaway Beach) 		Democratic March 19, 2021 –
Elected to finish Richard's term.
Re-elected in 2021.
Re-elected in 2023.

Recent election results

2023 (redistricting)

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.[6]

2023 New York City Council election, District 31[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 8,868 89.2
Republican Daniella May 972
Parent Party Daniella May[8] 81
Total Daniella May 1,053 10.6
Write-in 25 0.2
Total votes 9,946

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.[9]

Map
An interactive map of District 31
2021 New York City Council election, District 31[10][11]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 10,807 67.4
Democratic Nancy Martinez 3,049 19.0
Democratic Nicole Lee 2,039 12.7
Write-in 136 0.8
Total votes 16,031 100
General election
Democratic Selvena Brooks-Powers (incumbent) 18,070 88.9
Republican Vanessa Simon[12] 1,902
Conservative Vanessa Simon 324
Total Vanessa Simon 2,226 11.0
Write-in 27 0.1
Total votes 20,323 100
Democratic hold

2021 special

In 2020, Councilmember Donovan Richards was elected as Queens borough president, triggering a February 2021 special election for his seat. Like most municipal special elections in New York City, the race was officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation. It was also the first in the city's history to utilize ranked-choice voting (although an earlier special election in the 24th district was nominally ranked-choice, one candidate won with a majority in the first round).

2021 New York City Council special election, District 31[13]
Party Candidate Maximum
round 		Maximum
votes 		Share in
maximum
round 		Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes
Nonpartisan Selvena Brooks-Powers 9 3,841 59.0%
​​
Nonpartisan Pesach Osina 9 2,674 41.0%
​​
Nonpartisan Manny Silva 8 1,059 15.2%
​​
Nonpartisan LaToya Benjamin 7 570 8.0%
​​
Nonpartisan Sherwyn James 6 386 5.4%
​​
Nonpartisan Shawn Rux 5 234 3.2%
​​
Nonpartisan Nancy Martinez 4 181 2.5%
​​
Nonpartisan Latanya Collins 3 120 1.6%
​​
Nonpartisan Nicole Lee 2 77 1.0%
​​
Write-in 1 24 0.3%
​​

2017

2017 New York City Council election, District 31[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Donovan Richards 19,396
Working Families Donovan Richards 807
Total Donovan Richards (incumbent) 20,203 98.8
Write-in 125 0.6
Write-in Derek Hamilton 109 0.5
Total votes 20,437 100
Democratic hold

2013

2013 New York City Council election, District 31[15][16]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Donovan Richards (incumbent) 6,762 51.6
Democratic Michael Duncan 4,696 35.8
Democratic Ricardo Brown 1,648 12.6
Write-in 2 0.0
Total votes 13,108 100
General election
Democratic Donovan Richards (incumbent) 18,182 91.8
Republican Scherie Murray 1,079 5.4
Jobs & Education Ricardo Brown 530 2.7
Write-in 22 0.1
Total votes 19,813 100
Democratic hold

2013 special

In 2012, Councilman James Sanders Jr. was elected to the 10th district of the New York State Senate, triggering a February 2013 special election for his seat. Like most municipal special elections in New York City, the race was officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation.

2013 New York City Council special election, District 31[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Community Unity Donovan Richards 2,646 29.1
Common Values Pesach Osina 2,567 28.2
The Forward Jacques Leandre 1,216 13.4
Organize Now Michael Duncan 1,016 11.2
Rebuild Now Selvena Brooks[18] 1,013 11.1
Better Service Marie Adam-Ovide 189 2.1
Grand Coalition Saywala Kesselly 170 1.9
People's Relief Allan Jennings 153 1.7
Write-in Earnest Flowers III 105 1.2
Write-in 16 0.1
Total votes 9,091 100

References

  1. ^ "Census Demographics at the NYC City Council district (CNCLD) level". NYC Open Data. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Council District Summary Report" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. February 21, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  3. ^ "District 31 - Selvena N. Brooks-Powers". New York City Council. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  4. ^ "Council Members & Districts". New York City Council. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "NYC Boundaries Map". BetaNYC. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "General Election 2023 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Marked as "Mad As Hell/Parent Party".
  9. ^ Rachel Holliday Smith (January 18, 2021). "How Does Ranked Choice Voting Work in New York City?". The City. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  10. ^ "2021 Primary Official Ranked Choice Rounds, DEM Council Member 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  11. ^ "General Election 2021 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  12. ^ Marked as "Republican/Save Our City".
  13. ^ "Special Election February 23rd, 2021 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  14. ^ "General Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  15. ^ "Primary Election 2013 - Democratic Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "General Election 2013 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  17. ^ "Special Election 2017 - Member of the City Council, 31st Council District" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  18. ^ Brooks would later run for and win the seat under her married name, Selvena Brooks-Powers.