Race to Represent: NYC Public Advocate February 2019 Special Election
New York City’s special election for Public Advocate is on Tuesday, February 26. This election is an open, non-partisan ballot. All registered voters are eligible to cast a vote.
The Public Advocate is one of New York City’s three citywide elected posts, along with the mayor and the comptroller.
The Public Advocate acts a watchdog. The office has the power to collect complaints, investigate agencies and propose legislation to the City Council. The Public Advocate can preside at general meetings of the City Council and sit on various boards.
The Public Advocate becomes interim mayor if that office is vacant. The Public Advocate has also served as a “stepping stone” to higher posts. One-time Public Advocate Bill de Blasio was elected mayor in 2013 and his successor, Letitia James, won the office of NY State Attorney General last year.
The office has an annual budget of $3.6 million and a staff of 45 people.
Get to know your candidates with Race to Represent by watching candidate statements and candidate 1:1's.
Tune in 9 pm every night starting Wednesday, Feb 20th, on MNN1 (Spectrum 34 & 1995, RCN 82, FiOS 33) and MNNHD (Spectrum 1993). On 9:30 pm, Saturday, Feb. 23rd, tune in to a special roundtable discussion with Public Advocate candidates.
Episodes
Eric Ulrich NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Serves as:
Member of the New York City Council representing the 32nd District
As City Councilman, he led oversight committees on Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, and publicly expressed disapproval with their speed and efficiency
Issues:
Running on a platform of Common Sense
For more information...
Benjamin Yee NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Serves as:
Secretary of the Manhattan Democratic Party and
State Committeeman of Assembly District 66.
Created the first ever website for a Democratic County Party in NYC and live-streaming all meetings for every New Yorker to witness.
Platform:
- Civics for all
- Power for Communities
- Justi...
Melissa Mark - Viverito NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Served as:
Councilperson for Spanish Harlem/El Barrio in the New York City Council
New York City Council Speaker
Melissa called for closing Rikers Island, demanded the city decriminalize low-level offenses, and fought for lawyers for all undocumented immigrants
Issues:
- Housing
- Criminal Justice
...
Dawn Smalls NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Served as:
Commissioner of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics
Secretary of the New York City Bar’s Ethics Committee
Executive Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama Administration
Dawn served a key role in the successful implementation of the...
Rafael Espinal NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Serves(d) as:
Council Member for the City’s 37th District
54th Assembly District as a New York State Assembly Member
Passed 4 bills, fighting liberally for better health care, more sensible immigration practices, and fiscal policies that would benefit the greater good. His unwavering work was...
Michael Blake NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Serves(d) as:
New York Assemblyman from the 79th district
Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee
Led the charge to Raise the Age of criminal responsibility so that 16 and 17 year olds are not tried as adults in criminal court, with the understanding that changing policies alone would do...
Tony Herbert NYC Public Advocate Candidate
Served as:
Special Assistant to former New York City Councilwoman Priscilla Wooten
Special Assistant to former Congressman Edolphus Towns
Statewide Director of African American Affairs for the NY State Senate Minority Re-apportionment Task Force
He is an executive committee member of the NAACP...
David Eisenbach NYC Public Advocate Candidate
David Eisenbach earned a PhD in American history in 2006 from Columbia University where he now teaches courses on the US presidency, LGBT history and great works of literature and political philosophy.
David received over 92,000 votes in the 2017 Democratic Primary race for Public Advocate. After...
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