Labor leader Shirley Aldebol held a narrow lead Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for City Council District 13, emerging from a crowded six-person field vying to unseat Republican incumbent Kristy Marmorato in November.
According to preliminary results from the city’s Board of Elections, Aldebol captured 29.9% of the vote. She was followed by Jacqueline Torres with 20.8%, David Diaz with 18.7%, John Perez with 13.3%, Joel R. Rivera with 10.5%, and Theona Reets-Dupont with 6.1%.
The outcome remains undecided as ranked-choice voting tabulations continue and no candidate secured a majority of first-choice votes.
Aldebol, vice president of the powerful labor union 32BJ SEIU, entered the race with endorsements from organized labor and the Bronx Democratic Party. She also led the field in campaign fundraising, according to city campaign finance records.
The winner of the primary will take on Marmorato, who made history in 2023 as the first Republican elected to the City Council from the Bronx in decades. Her upset victory over then-incumbent Democrat Marjorie Velázquez signaled growing discontent in the district over issues such as housing development and public safety.
District 13 spans several East Bronx neighborhoods, including Morris Park, Pelham Bay, Throggs Neck, Van Nest and City Island. Although 62% of registered voters in the district are Democrats, recent election results suggest a rightward shift among portions of the electorate.
