Special Election for Lancman’s Seat Announced

Mark your calendars, City Council District 24, you’re headed back to the polls. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday that the special election for former City Councilmember Rory Lancman’s replacement in City Council District 24 will take place on Tuesday, February 2 of next year. 

“This date, within the window allowed by the City Charter, will facilitate maximum voter participation,” de Blasio said in a press release. “I encourage all eligible Queens residents to vote early, in person, or by absentee ballot in the upcoming special election.”

 

The candidate who wins in February will serve through December 31, 2021 to complete Lancman’s unfinished term. They will have to run again in the June primary and subsequent general election to continue to hold the seat.

According to the New York City Campaign Finance Board, eight candidates had already filed to replace term-limited Lancman in the 2021 citywide elections. The candidates include James Gennaro, Moumita Ahmed, Stanley Arden, Neeta Jain, Deepti Sharma, Mohammed Uddin, Dilip Nath, and Soma Syed. 

The special election was triggered by Lancman leaving office this week to join Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration as the state’s first Special Counsel for Ratepayer Protection.

There were rumors in the end of September that Lancman was considering leaving office early to work for Cuomo but his departure was not confirmed until late last week. 

Lancman joined the New York City Council in 2014 after serving in the State Assembly representing District 25.