2009 New York City Public Advocate election

Candidates

Democratic party

Despite the extension of term limits in late 2008, the outgoing public advocate, Betsy Gotbaum announced that she would not run for reelection.

Candidates included Councilman Eric Gioia of Queens, who has raised $2.5 million for the campaign; Norman Siegel, the civil liberties lawyer who lost in a runoff to Gotbaum in 2001; former public advocate Mark Green, and Councilman Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn.

After acknowledging he was considering the race in December 2008, Green announced on February 10, 2009, that he would again run for the office. Green was Gotbaum's predecessor as public advocate and the first person to hold this title. His entry changed the landscape of the race, due to his name recognition and ability to raise money.

Councilman John Liu, also from Queens, had been considered a potential candidate for advocate, but he ran for and won the office of New York City Comptroller—an office uncontested by the current city comptroller, Bill Thompson, who preferred to seek election as mayor in 2009. Councilwoman Jessica Lappin and Guillermo Linares, a former councilman and current commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, were also considering a run Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV was also considered a potential candidate. Imtiaz S. Syed, a lawyer, economist, investigative accountant, banker, administrator and management consultant, also ran.

On September 15, 2009, de Blasio won 32.6% of the Democratic primary vote and Green 31.5%. (Most of the remaining 36% of the primary voters cast their ballots for Gioia or Siegel.) Neither de Blasio nor Green won enough votes (40%) to avoid a run-off primary election between them two weeks later.

On September 29, Bill de Blasio won that run-off election by 62.4% to 37.6% for Mark Green. Turnout was very light, about 220,000 or 10% of the eligible voters, according to The Associated Press. (In the same run-off election, John Liu led his fellow City Councilman David Yassky, of Brooklyn, for the Democratic nomination for New York City Comptroller by 56% to 44% of a similar turnout.)

Debates

Republican party

Alex Zablocki, an aide to State Senator Andrew Lanza of Staten Island, declared his candidacy. At 26 years old, Zablocki was the youngest candidate to run for public advocate.

Other parties

• William Lee, Conservative Party of New York
• Maura DeLuca, Socialist Workers Party
• Jim Lesczynski, Libertarian Party of New York

Campaign

Gotbaum set up meetings with each of her potential successors in order to help them understand the position. On March 30, 2009, Alex Zablocki, Republican candidate for public advocate, met with Gotbaum in her office for about an hour to discuss the importance of the office and afterwards thanked her for her service.

On March 10, Fordham Law School hosted a town hall meeting with Gioia, Siegel, de Blasio and Green. Zablocki was not invited, which he considered an "outrage". The organizer said that he believed students wanted to see the Democratic contenders first, and wished to set up a debate including Zablocki in the future.

Endorsements

De Blasio was endorsed by The New York Times, the Working Families Party, and over 150 elected officials and organizations. Gioia was endorsed by various labor unions, including Local One of the Stagehands, the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) and the Captains Endowment Association (CEA). Alex Zablocki was endorsed by all five Republican county organizations in New York City, led by his home borough of Staten Island. Alex Zablocki was also endorsed by the Staten Island Advance on October 30, 2009, as well as The Wave, Rockaway's leading newspaper, on October 23, 2009.

Results

Democratic primary

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

]]

Official results from the New York City Board of Elections as of September 25, 2009:

As no candidate reached 40%, a runoff election for de Blasio and Green set for September 29 was required.Board of Elections in the City of New York, "Statement and Return Report for Certification Primary Election 2009 – September 15, 2009 Crossover – Democratic Party Democratic Public Advocate Citywide", published on September 25, 2009, and retrieved on November 4, 2009

Democratic run-off primary

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

]]

Official returns (as reported on October 20, 2009):

Bill de Blasio became the Democratic nominee for public advocate.

General election

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Source: Board of Elections in the City of New York http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/results.html

Bill de Blasio was elected public advocate.

References

References

1. [http://elections.nytimes.com/2009/results/index.html 2009 Election Results] {{webarchive. link. (2009-11-07 , ''[[The New York Times]]'', published and retrieved on November 4, 2009)
2. Santos, Fernanda. (October 28, 2008). "Betsy Gotbaum Says She Will Not Seek Re-election as the City's Public Advocate". The New York Times.
3. Hicks, Jonathan P.. (December 8, 2008). "Put Off by Term-Limits Fight, Green Ponders Another Run for Public Advocate". The New York Times.
4. [http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/Default.aspx "Mark Green Announces Candidacy For Public Advocate"] {{webarchive. link. (2009-03-07 , ''[[NY1]]''. Accessed February 10, 2009.)
5. Chan, Sewell. (February 11, 2009). "Former New York City Public Advocate Wants the Job Back". The New York Times.
6. Hicks, Jonathan P.. (December 8, 2008). "Green Shakes Up Race for Public Advocate". The New York Times.
7. (March 11, 2009). "Queens Newspaper New York – Queens NY News Paper- The Queens Courier > Archives > News > Top Stories > John Liu now running for City Comptroller". The Queens Courier.
8. Hicks, Jonathan P.. (November 28, 2008). "Public Advocate Race Gets More Crowded". The New York Times.
9. "Lappin Won't Run for Public Advocate {{!}} Politicker NY {{!}} New York Politics News, Reaction, and Analysis".
10. "Archived copy".
11. Sewell Chan, [http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/liu-and-de-blasio-lead-in-early-returns/ Liu and de Blasio Win Primary Runoffs], City Room Blog, ''[[The New York Times]]'', Tuesday, September 29, 2009, retrieved on September 30, 2009
12. Hicks, Jonathan P.. (December 11, 2008). "Public Advocate Meets With Potential Successors". The New York Times.
13. Wrobleski, Tom. "Zablocki meets with Gotbaum | SILive.com". Blog.silive.com.
14. Santos, Fernanda. (March 11, 2009). "Meet the Public Advocate Contenders". The New York Times.
15. (August 29, 2009). "For New York City Public Advocate". The New York Times.
16. Paybarah, Azi. "The W.F.P., Bill de Blasio and the Public Advocate's Race | The New York Observer". Observer.com.
17. (July 12, 2010). "RELEASE: WFP Endorses Bill de Blasio for Public Advocate; Lander for Council | Room Eight". R8ny.com.
18. Paybarah, Azi, [http://www.politickerny.com/2035/stagehands-back-gioia-public-advocate "Stagehands Back Gioia for Public Advocate"], ''PolitickerNY.com'', February 18, 2009. {{webarchive. link. (February 24, 2009)
19. http://www.politickerny.com/1926/gioia-rolls-out-union-calling-todays-public-advocate {{dead link. (October 2011)
20. (May 2019). "Staten Island Advance Print Edition – - Staten Island Advance". SILive.com.
21. Wrobleski, Tom. "Zablocki gets Staten Island GOP backing | SILive.com". Blog.silive.com.
22. "For public advocate: Alex Zablocki". SILive.com.
23. "Archived copy".
24. Bosman, Julie. (September 15, 2009). "De Blasio and Green in Runoff for Advocate". The New York Times.
25. [[New York City Board of Elections. Board of Elections in the City of New York]], [http://vote.nyc.ny.us/pdf/results/2009/PrimaryRunoff/CityWidePubAdvocate_Recap.pdf Statement and Return Report for Certification Run-off Primary 2009 – September 29, 2009 Crossover – Democratic Party Democratic Public Advocate Citywide], published on October 20, 2009, and retrieved on November 4, 2009]