2019 NYC Public Advocate Special Elections

NYC Public Advocate Candidate Questionnaire

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In case you didn’t already know, tomorrow (February 26) is the special election for New York City Public Advocate. The previous Public Advocate, Letitia James, was elected in November to serve as New York State Attorney General, creating a vacancy for Public Advocate.  The Public Advocate serves as an ombudsperson for city government, can introduce legislation at the City Council, and is first in line to succeed the Mayor should he or she vacate office. The Public Advocate can play an important role and serve as a key voice on issues concerning our community. In the past, the Public Advocate has examined the digital divide, advocated for New Yorkers’ privacy, and introduced legislation to help modernize New York City government operations. Seventeen candidates will appear on the ballot tomorrow. Tech:NYC sent the candidates a questionnaire on issues relevant to tech. We asked candidates how they would help prepare residents for tech jobs of the future and further our tech ecosystem; how they would protect New Yorkers’ privacy; what they would do to help improve our city’s transportation system; how they viewed the plan to bring an Amazon headquarters to LIC; and much more. Click here to see all of the questions we asked and responses eleven of the candidates submitted. Some highlights of the answers are: • All candidates agreed that there is a need to improve the privacy rights of New Yorkers;• All candidates committed to working to connect tech jobs with underrepresented communities;• The candidates had a diverse range of ideas as to how to fix the transit system, and the Public Advocate’s role; • The candidates each identified different issues, when asked what topics were not receiving enough attention: 

• Blake: Creating more tech jobs for low-income New Yorkers

• Espinal: The Technology Leadership Advisory Council (NYCx)

• Herbert: City service vocational training for non college-bound students, apprenticeships with public unions

• Kim: Student debt

• Konst: Private corporate interests — especially the real estate developer lobby

• Mark-Viverito: Lack of diversity in city government

• Rodriguez: Access to health care, giving residents who have a regularized immigration status but are not citizens a right to vote.

• Smalls: Homelessness

• Ulrich: Transparency of city government

• Williams: Expunging the records of those with marijuana arrests (and affordable housing)

• Yee: Engaging NYC residents in decision making

Have a read and don’t forget to vote tomorrow! Check here to see if you’re registered to vote and here to find where to vote.