Another year, another election!
New Yorkers will vote for who they want to represent them in city government, including mayor, comptroller, public advocate, council members, and various judges.
The Democratic primary election is June 24, and while the general election takes place in November, the primary winner is seen as the de facto winner in our overwhelmingly blue city. Current mayor Eric Adams announced that he would run as an independent in November so will not participate in the primaries this year.
Early voting is already well underway at the McCarren Play Center (776 Lorimer St.) and will wrap up this Sunday, June 22. Before you head out to vote, make you sure you know what times the center will be open, because the hours change daily.
And if you plan to vote on Election Day, you can look up your nearest polling site here.
As a hyperlocal outlet, Greenpointers does not cover city-wide races, but we always closely follow local races. This year, incumbent city council member Lincoln Restler, who represents District 33, will face off against challenger Sabrina Gates. Restler was running unopposed for most of the election cycle, with Gates announcing a run shortly before the filing deadline in April.
We sent both candidates a questionnaire to get to know them and their campaigns. Sabrina Gates did not respond to multiple requests for comment, so we are only able to include Restler’s answers.
Lincoln Restler
1. Over the past couple of years, we’ve reported on many beloved businesses closing due to skyrocketing rents or landlords not renewing their lease. As a city council member/candidate, how do you think we can better protect and support small businesses?
Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. Since my first day in the Council, I’ve been championing efforts to revitalize our commercial corridors—driving the creation of the Northside Business Improvement District, advocating for commercial rent control, and connecting small businesses to technical assistance and operational support. I have loved lifting up the Shop Small Greenpoint initiative and celebrating the special small business owners who contribute so much to our neighborhood.Â
2. One of the specific powers of a city council member is voting on Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and helping to determine housing. For example, Greenpoint residents are currently considering the proposal for the Monitor Point development on the Bushwick Inlet. What is your vision for affordable housing?
The affordability crisis is the number one challenge facing New Yorkers today. There are three bedroom apartments in Greenpoint that are a fifteen minute walk from the G train that are renting for $10,000 per month. We need to build a lot more housing—especially affordable housing—to alleviate the housing crisis. I’m proud that District 33 has created more new affordable apartments than any other district in Brooklyn.
We’re focused on strengthening protections for tenants, expanding housing supply across our city, and fighting back against private equity firms buying buildings in our community. I was proud to have played a critical role in the City Council in mobilizing support for City of Yes, which includes 80,000 new units of housing citywide and $5 billion for new affordable housing and infrastructure investments.
I am proud to have helped ban forced broker fees, organized against and blocked extreme rent hikes in Williamsburg affordable housing developments, and championed tenants against unscrupulous landlords across our community.
Lastly, I’ve introduced legislation called Public Land for Public Good to require that nonprofit developers—rather than corporate developers—be responsible for building truly affordable housing on public land. The proposed development at 40 Quay Street is on government owned land, so I will only support housing at this site if most of the apartments built are affordable for our community.
3. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway runs through the entirety of District 33, and it has long been falling into disrepair. How do we fix it?
My office has been working closely with colleagues to lead the charge on re-imagining the BQE. We’ve stood staunchly against proposals to add more lanes to the BQE, which would result in millions more trucks and vehicles every year, adding more pollution to our communities.
We must encourage forward-thinking policies that consider expanding bus services and increasing regional marine and rail freight to minimize long haul trucking on our roadways and bridges and reduce our dependence on personal vehicles.
I’m committed to continuing to work with City and State partners to fix the BQE while advancing our sustainability goals and mitigating pollution long caused by this interstate highway that runs through the middle of our residential neighborhoods.
4. What endorsements do you have?
New York Working Families Party, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Comptroller Brad Lander, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Senator Andrew Gounardes, Senator Julia Salazar, Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, Former Assemblymember Joan Millman, New York Immigration Coalition, New Kings Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Central Brooklyn Independent Neighborhood Democrats, LAMBDA Independent Democrats, Churches United For Fair Housing Action, Planned Parenthood NYC Action, Open New York, Make the Road Action, Teamsters 831, New York State Nurses Association, HTC, 32BJ SEIU, DC37 AFSCME AFL-CIO, PSC-CUNY, Communication Workers of America, CSA, and Liuna NY, Doctor’s Council SEIU, and many more.
Folks can check out our endorsements here.
5. Who do you plan to rank in your top five in the upcoming mayoral election?
I’ve endorsed Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, and Zohran Mamdani in the Mayoral primary.
I voted for Zellnor Myrie and Scott Stringer 4th and 5th on my ballot.
6. And lastly, stealing this question from the New York Times but what is your bagel order and your go-to bagel spot?
Tragically, gluten free, so limited, but an everything bagel toasted with cream cheese.
Here is a plug for Restler. A little too far left for me, but at least all the democratic candidates are. Adams, the independent is an alleged serial crook who kissed Trump’s backside to get out of jail. He is also the King of privilege picking candidates etc by race, gender, religion etc.
Lincoln is a super hard worker especially for the senior centers in his district. He has given thousands of dollars for repairs at my center and hosts bi annual picnics under the Bklyn Bridge.
No other elected pol. has done that in my district.
I don’t know anything about Gates.
No surprise that the machine candidate couldn’t be bothered to respond. Has she done any campaigning? Pathetic that she is running as a spite candidate because Lincoln Restler is to the left of the corporate centrists and careerists who populate the party machine in Brooklyn. Although I disagree with Lincoln’s stance on the McGuiness Boulevard “road diet” I have so many agreements, and that he works sincerely for the district, that one disagreement is immaterial. The only question should be how the big rout in the voting will be.