People vote at the Brooklyn Central Library on June 28 in New York. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
New Yorkers are voting on Tuesday, but what is – and is not – at their polls has caused some confusion and contributed to what is expected to be low turnout in the primaries.
For starters, here’s what will be decided today: Democratic and Republican candidates for governor. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was promoted after the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year, is expected to overcome the challenges of New York City progressive lawyer Jumaane Williams and New York MP Tom Suozzi, who has attacked Hochul from the right with a harsh message about the crime.
The race for lieutenant governor has been more competitive and, given that two of the last three people elected to the post ended up in first place, it’s worth watching closely. Former New York MP Antonio Delgado, who left Capitol Hill after being selected by Hochul to replace his first choice, now Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin, who resigned after being accused of corruption, is the narrow favorite . But it faces a serious progressive rival in Ana Maria Archila, who was recruited to go by the Party of the Working Families. Former New York City Councilwoman Diana Reyna, Suozzi’s formula mate, is also in the mix.
On the Republican side, four candidates are running for governor. Nor is it just a formality: the state has a history of electing Republican executives.
Deputy Lee Zeldin is the favorite and candidate chosen by the state GOP party, but faces serious opposition from three other candidates. Among them: Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Westchester County executive Rob Astorino; and businessman Harry Wilson. (Giuliani is considered the most likely of the group to give Zeldin a fright on Tuesday night.)
The state assembly will also hold its primaries on Tuesday. The entire body, 150 seats, will be on the ballot in the fall. There are a number of contested seats in the Democrat-controlled body, but many headlines are presented without opposition.
But the highest-profile unopposed incumbent tonight is Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Despite rumors of a challenge from the left for more than a year, none materialized.
Which brings us to what’s not on the ballot: U.S. House races. None of them. A long and chaotic process of redistribution of districts pushed back the primaries of Congress and the state Senate.
Still, it would be worth the wait: the new frontiers have established a handful of crowded races between well-known New York politicians who were forced into a game of musical chairs that didn’t end until late May.
These elections are scheduled for August 23.