David Dinkins

“Ranked Choice System” Being Used In NYC Mayoral Primary

Ronald Leave a comment

Only 12 of the 50 states of the Union have a larger population than New York City, which began its Mayoral primary yesterday, using a “ranked choice system” method, which required a candidate gain 50 percent plus one to be the nominee.

With 13 candidates on the ballot, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams leads with 31.7 percent of the vote, but when this new method is put into place over the next few weeks, in theory, he could be defeated by second place finisher Maya Wiley with 22.3 percent of the vote, or third place finisher Kathryn Garcia with 19.5 percent of the vote.

Every voter could rank his or her second to fifth place alternative choices, and it will likely take a few weeks until two candidates are left, and one wins 50 percent plus one vote.

if Adams wins, which is likely, he will be the second African American mayor, after David Dinkins (1989-1993), and if Wiley or Garcia wins, it will be the first woman mayor and of a minority status.

Interesting Survey On NYC Mayoralty Race For 2013

Ronald Leave a comment

In a poll of NYC voters on who should run for Mayor in 2013, at a time when Mayor Michael Bloomberg will retire after 12 years,, very unusual results were reported.

While City Council President Christine Quinn (who is lesbian) has 23 percent in the polls; former City Controller Bill Thompson (who is African American) has 15 percent; and present City Controller John Liu (who is Asian American) has 9 percent; what is more interesting is that a third of those in the poll want former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer to run, and that a quarter of those in the poll want former Congressman Anthony Weiner; and only 18 percent want actor Alec Baldwin to enter the race.

What does this say about NYC voters? Do they really want a disgraced former Governor and a disgraced former Congressman to be their Mayor–even more than a well known actor and comedian? Isn’t the idea of the first woman Mayor who is gay; a black Mayor to follow up on David Dinkins; and an Asian American Mayor enough exciting?

No one is denying that Spitzer and Weiner may want vindication that they can come back from sex scandals, but somehow the alternatives, including Alec Baldwin, and the three city officials, seem like a more amenable set of choices!