Photo Gallery: Candidate Debate & Protest



The first televised debate among public advocate candidates featured 10 contestants in an Errol Louis-moderated slugfest and a protest by one of the six candidates excluded from the debate.  The debate was hosted and televised by NY1.

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Photo Gallery: Medgar Evers PA Candidate Forum



Nine candidates attended a public advocate forum at Medgar Evers College sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Arena Summit and the Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter of Delta Rho Omega. Candidates included Dawn Smalls, Ben Yee, Jared Rich, Tony Herbert, Michael Blake, Ydanis Rodriguez, Rafael Espinal, Eric Ulrich and Jumaane Williams.

One of the three candidate panels was the complete set of current City Council members running for public advocate: Eric Ulrich, Rafael Espinal, Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams.

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Photo Gallery: VIDA PA Candidate Forum



The Vanguard Independent Democratic Association drew eight public advocate candidates to a forum at Boys & Girls High School in Bed-Stuy.  Participating candidates included Ben Yee, Nomiki Konst, Dawn Smalls, Michael Blake, Jared Rich, Tony Herbert, Rafael Espinal and Jumaane Williams.  The forum was moderated by Esmeralda Simmons and Brian Vines.

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Photo Gallery: Astoria PA Forum



The Powhatan and Pocahontas Democratic Club and the Taminent Regular Democratic Club co-hosted a public advocate candidate forum that drew ten candidates to Astoria on a bitterly cold night.  Candidates attending included Ron Kim, Danny O’Donnell, Dawn Smalls, Jumaane Williams, Jared Rich, Ydanis Rodriguez, Michael Blake, David Eisenbach, Nomiki Konst and Rafael Espinal.

Neither club endorsed a candidate at the forum and it’s my understanding that neither club intends to endorse in the race.  Of the elected officials attending the forum, Council Member Costa Constantinides has endorsed Nomiki Konst and NYS Senator Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Aravella Simotas each said that they have not endorsed in the race and are uncertain whether they’ll do so.

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Photo Gallery: Downtown Dem Clubs PA Forum



A group of downtown Manhattan Democratic Clubs jointly sponsored a public advocate candidate forum at the Educational Alliance’s Manny Cantor Center on East Broadway.  The Grand Street Democrats and several other Clubs co-sponsored the forum.

The forum drew 13 candidates who appeared in three panels before an audience of approximately 150 people: Panel #1 – Melissa Mark-Viverito, Eric Ulrich, Dawn Smalls and Rafael Espinal, Panel #2 – Ydanis Rodriguez, Ben Yee, Ron Kim, Jumaane Williams and Nomiki Konst and Panel #3 – Manny Alicandro, David Eisenbach, Tony Herbert and Jared Rich.

Clubs and organizations sponsoring the forum included Downtown Independent Democrats, Henry Street Settlement, United Democratic Organization, Coalition for a District Alternative, Village Independent Democrats, Village Reform Democratic Club, Chinese American Planning Council, United Neighborhood Houses, New Downtown Democrats, University Settlement, Grand Street Settlement and OCA-New York.

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Photo Gallery: Board of Elections Hearing



The Board of Elections made final determinations on the public advocate special election ballot, setting a ballot of 17 candidates.

The Board eliminated five candidates who sought to be on the ballot,  Ify Ike, Theo Chino, Mike Zumbluskas, Danniel Maio and Walter Iwachiw.  All but Ike were eliminated for filing insufficient signatures on their petitions while Ike was eliminated for failing to timely file a certificate of acceptance.  The Board placed candidate Helal Sheikh on the ballot despite Board staff having previously ruled he was ineligible due to a failure to identify on his petitions the election he was seeking to run in.

In a marked paradox the Board refused to remove candidate Latrice Walker from the ballot despite her attorney’s express request.  Walker submitted sufficient petition signatures and other required documents but subsequently decided to drop out of the race.  The Board ruled that it did not have authority to remove Walker and she is on the final ballot.

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Photo Gallery: Jackson Heights PA Forum



Nine candidates attended a public advocate candidate forum at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights sponsored by the New Visions Democratic Club, the Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens and the  John F. Kennedy Democratic Club.  Participating candidates included David Eisenbach, Michael Blake, Jared Rich, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Rafael Espinal, Tony Herbert, Jumaane Williams, Ben Yee and Dawn Smalls.  Council Member Danny Dromm was the sole elected official to attend.  Dromm said that he has not endorsed a candidate in the special election and is uncertain whether he’ll do so.

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