Jordan Officially Defeats Perkins In Central Harlem Council Race

HARLEM, NY — Kristin Richardson Jordan is officially the Democratic nominee for City Council in Central Harlem's District 9, as the city finally certified her victory over incumbent Bill Perkins.

Jordan's 114-vote win was certified by the Board of Elections on Tuesday, nearly two months after the June 22 primary, following a recount that was required due to the narrow margin.

Perkins, the 72-year-old incumbent who has represented District 9 for nearly 13 years in two separate stints, conceded to Jordan last week.

"We did it Harlem. We made history and disrupted the district with radical love!" Jordan said in a statement Tuesday. "I want to thank all the council members who came before me and opened the doors that made this historic election possible including my predecessor Bill Perkins."

Jordan 34, a neighborhood activist and writer, ran a ground-level campaign centered around a bold policy agenda, which includes defunding the NYPD, halting evictions and raising taxes on the wealthy.

The win by Jordan, a self-identified democratic socialist, signals a sea change in the neighborhood, which has recently been represented by more mainstream Democrats like Perkins and Inez Dickens.

Perkins said last week that he would retire from public service following his defeat. For months, he faced questions about his fitness for office amid reports that health problems had left him disoriented and unable to perform some basic tasks. He rarely appears in public and ran an anemic campaign, appearing to count on the possibility that name recognition alone would propel him to victory.

Perkins's 24-year career began in 1997 when he was elected to the District 9 seat. After serving two terms, he spent a decade representing Harlem in the State Senate — then won the District 9 seat again in a 2017 special election.

Jordan on Tuesday also acknowledged several of her former opponents from the crowded, 13-person primary in District 9.

"I look forward to working with anyone and everyone who shares this vision including William Allen, Cordell Cleare, Joshua Clennon, Billy Council, Pierre Gooding, Alpheaus Marcus, Ruth McDaniels, Bernadette McNear, Athena Moore, Mario Rosser, Sheba Simpson, Keith Taylor, Demetrius Wilson II, and Malik Wright," she said.

Jordan, who is all but certain to win November's general election, will take office in January.

Previous coverage:

• Perkins Concedes Harlem Council Race To Jordan, Cementing Upset
• Tight Central Harlem City Council Race Is Headed For Recount
• Jordan Set To Upset Perkins For Central Harlem City Council Seat
• Bill Perkins Jolts Harlem Council Race, Launches Re-Election Bid