In the last election of 2020, early voting for the special election to replace former Bronx Councilmember Andy King begins on Saturday.
The election is for District 12, which covers the northeast section of the Bronx, including Baychester, Eastchester, Co-Op City, Edenwald, Wakefield, and Williamsbridge, and was prompted after an extensive investigation into years-long allegations of ethics violations led to King’s expulsion earlier this year.
King’s ouster was the first time a Council Member was removed without being convicted of a crime.
Early voting is scheduled to take place until December 20th, and the special election day is December 22nd. Voters can find their early voting and election day poll sites here.
The deadline for voters to request an absentee ballot was Tuesday, December 15th. Mail-in ballots must either be postmarked by December 22nd or dropped off at a polling site during early voting or on election day.
The three confirmed candidates in the race are Pamela Johnson-Hamilton, Neville Mitchell, and Kevin Riley. Because the election is nonpartisan, each candidate will be running on their own ballot line.
Johnson-Hamilton, who has previously run for this seat in 2013 and 2017 is on the “Social Change” line. She identifies as a community activist advocating for small businesses and refunding the Summer Youth Employment Program. She has raised $6,781 in private funds and $45,836 in public funds, and if elected, Johnson-Hamilton will be the first woman to represent District 12.
Mitchell, who previously ran in 2012, is a veteran public defender with the Legal Aid Society’s homicide task force. Mitchell, who has raised $100 in private funds, is running on “Bronx 12 Matters” and has focused his campaign on providing a better path for the younger generation.
Kevin Riley, who appears to be the frontrunner in the race given the swell of support from members of the Bronx Democratic Party, is a Democratic district leader and director of community relations for state Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. He is running on “Justice and Unity” and has prioritized mental health, education, and housing for his campaign. Riley is also leading in campaign funds raising $48,700 in private funds and $132,077 in public funds.
This will be the last election before New York City moves to ranked-choice voting (maybe). The winner of the special election will serve until the end of 2021 to fill the remainder of King’s term, then there will be a primary election for the District 12 seat in 2021, as all elected city government positions will be up for grabs next fall.
