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Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
Voting ended for New York City’s first ranked choice election Tuesday with one candidate holding such a sizable lead that counting votes beyond the top pick on each ballot may not be necessary.
Democrat James Gennaro reaped more than 3,200 first-place votes out of upwards of 5,500 cast on Tuesday and during nine days of early voting in the crowded special election contest for a southeast Queens City Council seat.
Up to 2,000 absentee ballots had yet to be counted meaning it could still be weeks before an official winner is announced in the snow-snagged eight-candidate race.
But if his margin remains above 50%, Gennaro will automatically win the special election, called to fill a vacancy left by former Councilmember Rory Lancman. In that event, no tally of voters’ ranked choices of up to four additional candidates will take place.
Powerful Winter Storm Pushes North Into New England
Last Updated
Feb. 22, 2021, 1:58 p.m. ETFeb. 22, 2021, 1:58 p.m. ET
Heavy snow was expected in Maine after more than 17 inches fell on New York City and parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania received more than 30 inches.
Here’s what you need to know:
Video
A powerful winter storm is making its way through New England on Tuesday, after hammering much of the Northeast the day before.CreditCredit.Tristan Spinski for The New York Times
A powerful winter storm pushed into northern New England on Tuesday, after hammering much of the Northeast the day before, leaving at least one person dead and disrupting travel for millions.
Indian American Neeta Jain is hoping to win the New York City Council seat in the District 24 special election on Feb. 2.
Jain is looking to win the seat which represents the Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Parkway Village, Jamaica Hills and Jamaica neighborhoods.
According to her campaign site, Jain says the city is struggling under the pandemic, recession and racist politics from former President Donald Trump.
She says her unique combination of progressive activism and real world leadership give her the experience we need in City Hall right now. Â
The activist is New Yorkâs first Indian American woman Democratic district leader, an elected DNC Delegate for Biden-Harris, an accomplished educator, and founder and president of the International Ahimsa Foundation, according to her profile.
The February 2 special election will select former City Councilman Rory Lancman s successor
Six of the candidates are of South Asian descent, a community asking for representation in the City Council
Council District 24 includes the Queens neighborhoods of Kew Garden Hills, Fresh Meadows, Briarwood, and Jamaica
Former councilman Jim Gennaro is trying to win his old seat back
In the first ever ranked-choice voting election in New York, eight candidates are running to fill the City Council seat vacated by former councilman Rory Lancman, who recently took a job with the Cuomo administration.
Six of those running are South Asian, a community that, as candidate Deepti Sharma notes, has never had one of its members in the Council.