With the city Board of Elections releasing three rounds of preliminary ranked-choice voting tabulations on Friday, July 2, Vanessa Gibson, a NYC councilwoman, has widened the gap in the Democratic primary for Bronx borough president.
Gibson increased her prior lead over Councilman Fernando Cabrera by an additional percentage point following the third round.
Results had been expected to be released earlier in the week, but following accounting errors in the mayoral race, the BOE decided to hold off on revealing results for the local races.
According to the newly released results for The Bronx borough president race, Gibson currently leads with 53% (43,258 votes); Cabrera trails with 47% (38,365 votes).
Gibson, 41, is seeking to make history by becoming the first Black person and first female to hold the position of borough president in The Bronx.
The remaining field of candidates—state Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, state Sen. Luis Sepulveda and Sammy Ravelo, a former NYPD lieutenant—were eliminated from the race after the third round of ranked-choice voting (RCV).
Results are not yet official, however, as thousands of absentee ballots remain to be counted. The BOE expects to have certified results by July 12.
In addition to the borough president race, the BOE released preliminary results for all of the City Council races in The Bronx. Results will not be certified until all absentee ballots have been counted.
City Council District 8
Democratic primary
Councilwoman Diane Ayala, an incumbent, received 56.2% (6,013 votes) of votes after the first round of RCV. By collecting more than a 50% majority of the total vote, Ayala is declared the unofficial winner without any addition rounds of voting.
Other candidates in the race included Tamika Mapp 29% (3,105), Antoinette Glover (990) 9.3% and Manuel Onativia 4.5% (484).
The official results will not be certified until the anticipated date of July 12, after all absentee ballots are counted.
City Council District 11
Democratic primary
Councilman Eric Dinowitz, an incumbent, received 59.2% (7,662 votes) to lead Mino Lora, 40.8% (5,276 votes), after five rounds of RCV.
Other candidates—Abigail Martin, Daniel Padernacht, Jessica Haller, Marcos Sierra and Carlton Berkley—were eliminated from the race.
City Council District 12
Democratic primary
Councilman Kevin Riley, an incumbent, received 59.4% (8,357 votes) to lead Pamela A. Hamilton-Johnson, 40.6% (5,723), after three rounds of RCV.
Candidate Shanequa Moore was eliminated from the race.
City Council District 13
Democratic primary
Marjorie Velazquez received 56.2% (4,976 votes) of votes after the first round of RCV. By collecting more than a 50% majority of the total vote, Velazquez is declared the unofficial winner without any addition rounds of voting.
Other candidates in the race included Monique S. Johnson 26.7% (2,364 votes), Irene Estrada 5.7% (507 votes), Marilyn Soto 5.6% (496 votes) and John Perez 5.3% (471 votes).
The official results will not be certified until the anticipated date of July 12, after all absentee ballots are counted.
City Council District 14
Democratic primary
Pierina Ana Sanchez received 62.4% (4,435 votes) to lead Yudelka Tapia, 37.6% (2,668 votes), after six rounds of RCV.
Other candidates—Adolfo, Haile Rivera, Fernando A. Aquino and Socrates S. Solano—were eliminated from the race.
District 14 is the current legislative district of Fernando Cabrera.
City Council District 15
Democratic primary
Councilman Oswald Feliz, an incumbent, received 65.5% (3,932 votes) to lead Ischia J. Bravo, 34.5% (2,070 votes), after seven round of RCV.
Other candidates—John E. Sanchez, Bernadette Ferrara, Troy Blackwell, Latchmi Devi Gopal, Kenny G. Agosto and Lillithe Lozano—were eliminated from the race.
Republican primary
Ariel Rivera-Diaz received 51.8% (71 votes) to lead Aramis Ocasio, 48.2% (66 votes), after two rounds of RCV.
City Council District 16
Democratic primary
Althea Stevens received 65% (5,200 votes) to lead Ahmadou T. Diallo, 35% (2,802 votes), after five rounds of RCV.
Other candidates—Abdourahamane Diallo, Yves T. Filius and Eric Stevenson—were eliminated from the race.
District 16 is the current legislative district of Vanessa Gibson.
City Council District 17
Democratic primary
Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. received 60.2% (4,869 votes) to defeat Helen Hines’ 39% (3,157 votes). Since there were only two candidates in the race, ranked-choice voting was not utilized.
The official results will not be certified until the anticipated date of July 12, after all absentee ballots are counted.
City Council District 18
Democratic primary
Amanda Farias received 51.2% (5,264 votes) to lead William Rivera, 48.8% (5,012 votes), after five rounds of RCV.
Other candidates—Michael Beltzer, Darlene Jackson, Mohammed Mujumder, Mirza M. Rashid, William Russell Moore and Eliu A. Lara—were eliminated from the race.
Reach Christian Falcone at cfalcone@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-2541. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter @bronxtimes and Facebook @bxtimes.
