TagMayoral elections

Recent polls, satellite spending in Seattle’s mayoral and council races

By Amee LaTour
In Local
July 26, 2021 at 4:03 PM

Seattle voters have just over one week to cast their ballots in the Aug. 3 top-two primaries. A poll released July 16 showed a plurality of voters unsure who they’d choose for mayor and the two at-large city council seats. The Northwest Progressive Institute poll, conducted by Change Research, showed 32% undecided for the mayoral race, 50% undecided for the position 9 council seat, and 55% undecided for the position 8 seat. The poll’s margin of error was +/- 4.3 percentage points.

In the mayoral primary, 20% of respondents said they supported former council president Bruce Harrell, 12% said they supported current council president Lorena González, and 10% backed Chief Seattle Club executive director Colleen Echohawk. The 12 other candidates running received less than 10% support among poll respondents.

For the position 9 council seat, attorney and Creative Justice executive director Nikkita Oliver received 26% support, Fremont Brewing co-owner Sara Nelson received 11%, and González’s chief of staff Brianna Thomas received 6%, with the four other candidates polling at 3% or less.

For the position 8 council seat, incumbent Teresa Mosqueda polled at 26%, with Kate Martin at 6%, nine other candidates below that percentage, and 55% unsure.

The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission reported more than $600,000 in satellite spending toward the mayoral race as of July 21:

  • Essential Workers for Lorena had spent $430,000 supporting González; 
  • Bruce Harrell for Seattle’s Future had spent $120,000 supporting Harrell; and 
  • Seattle United for Progressive Change had spent $70,000 supporting Farrell. 

The Progressive Equity PAC had spent $21,000 supporting Thomas in the position 9 council election.

Total satellite spending for the 2017 election cycle—the last time the city held elections for the two at-large council seats and for mayor—was around $1.3 million. In 2019, when the seven district council seats were up for election, satellite spending topped $4 million.



Adams leads New York’s Democratic mayoral primary by 0.8 percentage points, according to new unofficial results

By Amee LaTour
In Local
July 14, 2021 at 4:10 PM

Eric Adams leads Kathryn Garcia by a margin of 0.8 percentage points—about 7,100 votes—in the eighth round of unofficial ranked-choice voting tabulations in the June 22 Democratic mayoral primary for Mayor of New York City. The New York City Board of Elections (BOE) released this third set of unofficial tabulations on July 13. It includes all but 55 pending mail-in ballots. The BOE said it expects to certify results the week of July 19. 

After the BOE released its second set of unofficial tabulations last week, Garcia and Maya Wiley—who was in third—conceded the race to Adams.

This was the first mayoral primary in the city’s history to use ranked-choice voting. Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and eight third-party candidates are running in the November 2 general election. The general election will use plurality voting as opposed to ranked-choice.



Voters to decide mayoral, city council primaries on Aug. 3 in Topeka, Kan.

By Ballotpedia staff
In Local
July 1, 2021 at 4:50 PM

The city of Topeka, Kan., will hold a nonpartisan primary election on Aug. 3 for mayor and city council. The top two vote-getters in the races will advance to the general election on November 2, 2021.

Daniel Brown, Leo Cangiani, Patrick Klick, John Lauer, and District 5 city council member Mike Padilla are running for mayor of Topeka. Mayor Michelle De La Isla announced in March that she would not be seeking re-election in 2021. She has served as Topeka’s mayor since January 2018.

Five city council seats will also be on the ballot in 2021. The only district to require a primary election will be in District 3, where incumbent Sylvia Ortiz is facing four challengers. William Hendrix, David Johnson, Lana Kombacher, and Regina Platt have all filed to run. Ortiz has served on the city council since 2005. The following four races are going directly to the general election:

*District 1: Incumbent Karen Hiller will face Lindsay Jackson in the general election. Hiller has served on the city council since 2009.

*District 5: Marcus Clark, Ariane Davis, and Brett Daniel Kell are running for this open seat. Incumbent Mike Padilla is running in the mayoral race. He has served on the city council since 2018.

*District 7: Incumbent Neil Dobler is running against Joel Campbell in the general election. Dobler was appointed to the city council in 2019.

*District 9: Incumbent Michael Lesser and Gregory Bland Jr. are facing off in the general election. Lesser has served on the council since 2018.

The city of Topeka had a population of 125,310 in 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau. Ballotpedia is covering municipal elections in 22 counties and 71 cities, including 43 mayoral elections, in 2021.

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United States municipal elections, 2021



Lander leads Johnson, 52% to 48%, in unofficial ranked-choice voting results for New York’s Democratic comptroller primary

By Amee LaTour
In Local
July 1, 2021 at 12:40 PM

The New York City Board of Elections released its first unofficial round of ranked-choice voting tabulations for the June 22 primary on Wednesday. In the Democratic primary for comptroller, Brad Lander had 51.9% of the vote after 10 rounds of tabulation, followed by Cory Johnson at 48.1%. Around 21,000 votes separated Lander and Johnson. 

Results included early and election day votes and did not include absentee ballots. More than 207,000 absentee ballots were distributed in the Democratic primary. 

In the 9th round, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera was eliminated, having 144,665 votes (22% of the total) at that stage. Johnson picked up 42,499 votes between the 9th and 10th rounds, and Lander gained 22,747.

The board is expected to release a second round of unofficial tabulations on July 6. Official tabulations are not expected until the week of July 12, due to the deadlines for voters to submit absentee ballots and fix ballot issues.

The board initially released RCV tabulations on Tuesday but later issued a statement saying it had erroneously counted 135,000 sample ballot images as votes. The board released revised tabulations Wednesday.

Voters were allowed to rank up to five candidates on their ballots. Ten candidates ran in the Democratic comptroller primary.



India Walton defeats four-term incumbent Byron Brown in Buffalo Democratic mayoral primary

By Douglas Kronaizl
In Local
June 25, 2021 at 11:52 AM

India Walton (D), a nurse and community activist, defeated four-term incumbent Byron Brown (D) and Le’Candice Durham (D) in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Buffalo, New York, on June 22, 2021. According to unofficial results, Walton received 52% of the vote followed by Brown and Durham with 45% and 3%, respectively.

The New York Times‘ Luis Ferré-Sadurní described the race as an upset, saying the outcome “could upend the political landscape in New York’s second-biggest city and signal the strength of the party’s left wing.”

Brown was first elected Mayor of Buffalo in 2005 and won re-election three times. Before his defeat in 2021, Brown had won the four preceding Democratic primaries by an average of 26.5 percentage points. In 2021, he ran with the support of the Erie County Democratic Committee and multiple local labor unions including the Buffalo Central Labor Council.

Walton received endorsements from progressive organizations including Our Revolution and the local and national branches of the Democratic Socialists of America. She also received an endorsement from the Working Families Party of New York, which, until 2021, had endorsed Brown in all of his previous runs for mayor.

Since no Republicans filed to appear on the primary ballot, it is likely Walton will advance to the general election without major party opposition. If elected, Walton would become Buffalo’s first female mayor. She would also become the first socialist mayor of a large American city since 1960.

Learn more about the mayoral race in Buffalo here.



Detroit to hold mayoral primary on Aug. 3

By Ethan Rice
In Local
June 21, 2021 at 12:35 PM

Ten candidates are running in a nonpartisan primary election for mayor of Detroit, Michigan, on Aug. 3. Media coverage has focused on incumbent Mike Duggan and challengers Anthony Adams and Tom Barrow. Kiawana Brown, Myya Jones, Jasahn Larsosa, Charleta McInnis, Danetta Simpson, Art Tyus, and Dallias Wilcoxon are also running. The top two candidates will advance to the general election on Nov. 2.

Duggan was first elected mayor in 2013 when he defeated opponent Benny Napoleon (D) 55% to 45%. In 2017, he was reelected by a margin of nearly 44 points, defeating Coleman Young II (D) 71.6% to 27.8%.

Before becoming mayor, Duggan was president and CEO of Detroit Medical Center from 2004 to 2012. He was assistant corporation counsel for Wayne County from 1985 to 1986, deputy Wayne County executive from 1987 to 2000, and Wayne County prosecutor from 2000 to 2001. Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) and former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D) have endorsed Duggan. Duggan said that, if re-elected, he would “work every day to continue to make sure every neighborhood has a future and every Detroiter has a true opportunity to achieve your dreams.”

Adams is an attorney and was deputy mayor of Detroit under former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D). He was also an executive assistant to Mayor Coleman Young, was a board member and general counsel for Detroit Public Schools, and was interim director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Adams said his “extensive leadership experience, unwavering commitment, and enlightened skill-set uniquely position him to move the city of Detroit forward” and he is “committed to serving the ordinary people of Detroit and not Special Interest Groups.”

Barrow is a practicing certified public accountant, led the civic group Citizens for Detroit’s Future, and was an advocate for changes to the municipal election system. This is Barrow’s fifth mayoral run and the second time he has competed against Duggan. In his four previous campaigns, Barrow advanced from the primary to the general election three times: in 1985, 1989, and 2009. Barrow said he would run a campaign based on local pride: “Detroit is in my DNA. Detroit is a city I love and respect deeply. People know that I care, that I will look out for them and will protect them and not allow them to be misused.”

Economic development and public safety have been major issues in the race. Duggan said he would work with the city council and manufacturers to bring more high-paying jobs into the city. Adams said he would support a universal basic income plan and an income-based water billing system and emphasized early intervention as a means to reduce crime. Barrow also supported a water affordability program for Detroit residents and said neighborhood revitalization projects should focus on a broader area and not just downtown.

The city of Detroit uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city’s primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city’s chief executive. The mayor is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors and committee members and overseeing the city’s day-to-day operations. The mayor also possesses veto powers, though the Detroit city charter establishes procedures whereby city council may override mayoral vetoes under certain circumstances.

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New York City primaries for mayor, city comptroller to be held on June 22

By Emily Aubert
In Local
June 21, 2021 at 12:18 PM

Primaries for the mayor and comptroller of New York City will be held on Tuesday, June 22. The winners will advance to the general election on November 2, 2021.

Thirteen Democrats and two Republicans are running in the primaries for mayor of New York City. Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is not running for re-election due to term limits.

The primary election will feature the first use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) for a mayoral primary in the city’s history. Voters will be able to rank up to five candidates on their ballot in order of preference.

The following six Democratic candidates have received the most media attention and noteworthy endorsements:

• Eric Adams, Brooklyn borough president

• Kathryn Garcia, former New York City sanitation commissioner

• Raymond McGuire, former Wall Street executive

• Scott Stringer, New York City comptroller

• Maya Wiley, former mayoral counsel

• Andrew Yang, entrepreneur

The top issues in this race are crime, policing, affordable housing, jobs, and healthcare.

New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers founder Fernando Mateo and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa are running in the Republican primary.

De Blasio was first elected in 2013 and won re-election in 2017 with 66% of the vote. Including de Blasio, four of the previous six mayors were Democrats.

The Democratic primary for New York City comptroller is also being held on June 22. Ten candidates are running for the office, whose duties include performing audits of city agencies and managing five public pension funds. As of March 2021, the funds totaled $253 billion in assets.

The following seven candidates are leading in endorsements and fundraising:

• Brian Benjamin, state senator

• Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, former CNBC financial analyst

• Zachary Iscol, former Marine and nonprofit founder

• Corey Johnson, New York City Council speaker

• Brad Lander, New York City Council member

• Kevin Parker, state senator

• David Weprin, state assemblyman

The Republican primary was canceled, and Daby Carreras advanced as the Republican nominee for New York City comptroller.

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Reviewing noteworthy endorsers’ picks for New York City mayor, comptroller

By Amee LaTour
In Local
June 18, 2021 at 5:11 PM

New York City holds primaries for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, five borough presidents, and 51 city council seats on June 22. As part of our in-depth coverage of the mayoral and comptroller elections, Ballotpedia has tracked Democratic primary endorsements from major local papers, members of Congress, and influential unions and groups. 

Below, we highlight several endorsers’ picks in both the mayoral and comptroller primaries. We include endorsers from whom we found endorsements in both races. Endorsed mayoral candidates are listed first after the endorser, and endorsed comptroller candidates are listed second.

Ten of 23 endorsers listed below had unique endorsement pairings. Six backed Maya Wiley for mayor and Brad Lander for comptroller. Three endorsed Wiley for mayor and Corey Johnson for comptroller. Two endorsed Scott Stringer for mayor and Lander for comptroller. And two backed Stringer and Johnson.

Local papers

New York Post: Eric Adams, Zach Iscol

The New York Times: Kathryn Garcia, Brad Lander

New York Daily News:Kathryn Garcia, David Weprin

Members of Congress

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.): Maya Wiley, Brad Lander

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.): Maya Wiley, Kevin Parker

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.): Eric Adams, Brian Benjamin

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.): Ray McGuire, David Weprin 

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.):  Scott Stringer, Brad Lander

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.): Maya Wiley, Brad Lander 

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.): Maya Wiley, Brad Lander 

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.): Eric Adams, David Weprin   

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.): Andrew Yang, Corey Johnson

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.): Maya Wiley, Brad Lander 

Unions

1199 SEIU: Maya Wiley, Corey Johnson

LiUNA! NY: Scott Stringer, Corey Johnson

New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council: Eric Adams, Corey Johnson

New York State Nurses Association: Maya Wiley, Corey Johnson

United Federation of Teachers: Scott Stringer, Corey Johnson

Groups

New York Working Families Party: Maya Wiley, Brad Lander

New York League of Conservation Voters: Kathryn Garcia, Corey Johnson

Stonewall Democrats of NYC: Scott Stringer, Brad Lander

Tenants PAC: Maya Wiley, Corey Johnson

New York Progressive Action Network: Maya Wiley, Brad Lander

Note: Many state legislators, local officials, and other groups and unions have issued endorsements in the races and are not included above. See our race coverage for more endorsements as well as links to endorsement lists on candidates’ campaign websites.

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Filing deadline for Albuquerque mayoral race is June 19

By Nina Baker
In Local
June 17, 2021 at 11:42 AM

The filing deadline to run for mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is on June 19. A separate filing deadline for five of the nine Albuquerque City Council seats is on July 5.

There will be no primary elections for the mayoral race. Instead, all candidates will appear on the same general election ballot regardless of their partisan affiliations. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 2.

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. by population.

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Voters reelect mayor and 5 of 7 city council members in Jackson, Miss.

By Abbey Smith
In Local
June 16, 2021 at 10:25 AM

The city of Jackson, Miss., held a general election for mayor and all seven seats on the city council on June 8. A primary was held on April 6, and a primary runoff was held on April 27. The filing deadline for this election was Feb. 6.

Democratic Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba won re-election with 69.3% of the vote in the general election, defeating Republican candidate Jason Wells and independent candidates Les Tannehill, Charlotte Reeves, and Shafeqah Lodree. Antar Lumumba first took office in 2017.

In the city council elections, Ward 1 incumbent Ashby Foote (R) and Ward 2 incumbent Angelique Charbonet Lee (D) won re-election after running unopposed. Ward 3 incumbent Kenneth Stokes (D), Ward 6 incumbent Aaron Banks (D), and Ward 7 incumbent Virgi Lindsay (D) won re-election after defeating one opponent. 

Democratic newcomers Brian Grizzell and Vernon Hartley won election to the Ward 4 and 5 seats, respectively, after running unopposed in the general election. Grizzell and Hartley advanced from both the primary and primary runoff. Hartley defeated incumbent Charles Tillman (D) in the Ward 5 primary runoff, while Grizzell defeated Jacqueline Amos (D) in the Ward 4 primary runoff. Ward 4 was an open seat after incumbent De’Keither Stamps (D) decided not to run for re-election.

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