Thirteen battleground Democratic primaries for New York City Council will be held on June 24, 2025

By

Nathan Maxwell

Ninety-five candidates are running in 28 Democratic primaries for New York City Council on June 24, 2025. That’s up from 49 candidates in 17 Democratic primaries in 2023, the special two-year post-redistricting term mandated in the City Charter. That year, just one seat was open, meaning no incumbent filed to run. This year, there are eight open seats.

The Council is the city’s primary legislative body. It is responsible for adopting the city budget, passing legislation, monitoring city agencies, and overseeing land development.

City & State New York‘s Sahalie Donaldson, Annie McDonough, and Holly Pretsky wrote, “All 51 seats in the New York City Council are on the ballot this year. … In deep blue New York City, there aren’t many swing districts, so most – but not all – of the action will happen in the Democratic primaries.”

Here’s a look at New York City Council Democratic primary competitiveness in the two cycles before and after redistricting.

District 38, for example, was redrawn after incumbent Alexa Aviles (D) first won the seat in 2021 and now includes two Brooklyn neighborhoods that voted for President Donald Trump (R) in 2024. According to Pretsky, Aviles “is facing a serious primary challenge” in Ling Ye (D): “Ye is running toward the center, saying Avilés’ left-wing ideology has gotten in the way of her ability to advocate for her constituents.”

Several satellite groups are also getting involved. A super PAC associated with housing development non-profit Open New York plans to spend at least $500,000 on the 2025 city council races. According to The City‘s Jonathan Custodio, Airbnb-affiliated super PAC Affordable New York spent almost $700,000 on council races in the Bronx as of June 3. According to The City‘s Claudia Irizarry Aponte, Uber NY PAC had spent $1.3 million on New York city council races as of May 29, and DoorDash-affiliated Local Economies Forward NY plans to spend up to $2 million. Irizarry Aponte wrote, “The tech platforms’ spending blitz follows a first-in-the-nation minimum pay rate for food delivery workers, based on the Council’s similar scheme for ride-hail drivers. Those laws have withstood legal challenges from both companies, emboldening Council members to try for more.” Solidarity PAC, which says it “focuses on candidates and efforts who support the best interests of New York’s Jewish community,” is supporting seven Democratic city council candidates.

Battleground Democratic primaries

Ballotpedia identified 13 battleground elections below based on media coverage. Of the 13 districts with battleground Democratic primaries, Republicans represent one and Democrats represent 12. Democratic incumbents are running in five of these races, a Republican incumbent holds one, and the other seven are in open districts, meaning no incumbents are running.

The map below highlights each battleground district colored based on the party affiliation of the incumbent.

The battleground Democratic primaries are:

  • District 1: Incumbent Christopher Marte (D) is facing three Democratic challengers—Jess Coleman, Elizabeth Lewinsohn, and Eric Yu—all of whom are members of Community Board 1.
  • District 2: Five candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Carlina Rivera (D).
  • District 4: Six candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Keith Powers (D).
  • District 8: Seven candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Diana Ayala (D).
  • District 11: Incumbent Eric Dinowitz (D) is running for a full four-year term after initially winning the seat in a 2021 special election.
  • District 13: Six Democratic candidates are running in the primary. Incumbent Kristy Marmorato (R) unseated Marjorie Velazquez (D) to flip the seat in 2023.
  • District 14: Incumbent Pierina Sanchez (D) is facing two challengers, including former incumbent Fernando Cabrera (D), who was term-limited in 2021.
  • District 17: Four candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Rafael Salamanca (D).
  • District 21: Four candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Francisco Moya (D).
  • District 28: Five candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D).
  • District 30: Three candidates are running to fill the seat left open by term-limited Robert Holden (D).
  • District 38: Incumbent Alexa Aviles (D) is facing her first primary challenge since redistricting in 2023.
  • District 39: City & State New York’s Sahalie Donaldson, Annie McDonough, and Holly Pretsky wrote, “Both Council Member Shahana Hanif and challenger Maya Kornberg say that their primary election shouldn’t be about Israel or the war in Gaza. The New York City Council has no real power to influence the conflict. But in the Democratic primary in one of the city’s bluest City Council districts, that subject continues to come to the forefront.”

Heading into the elections, Democrats have a 45-6 majority on the Council. New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) was elected in 2021 as a Democrat and is running for re-election as an independent.