Fight for LES Council Seat Pits Margaret Chin Against Primary Challenger In Rematch

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — Council Member Margaret Chin will again face off against the challenger she narrowly defeated in the primaries, her opponent's campaign said on Wednesday.

Christopher Marte, the political newcomer vying to replace Chin, announced that he was launching a third-party challenge against Chin after losing to the council member in last month's primaries. Marte lost the bid to be the Democratic nominee for the District 1 seat by 222 votes, according to the New York City Board of Elections.

The final tally was a surprisingly close race. Most observers expected Chin to handily win her third-term in office in the face-off against Marte, a little known candidate with no political experience.

"We can’t give up the fight for the future of our District," Marte said in a statement. "Our community still has reason to hope for change."

Chin and Marte are running to represent District 1, which includes Tribeca, the Financial District, the Lower East Side and Soho, among other areas in Lower Manhattan. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Marte was able to launch a third-party bid for the seat because he got five write-in votes on the Independence Party line, out of a total of 22 valid ballots, his spokeswoman said. The New York Daily News was first to report on Marte's renewed bid for office on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Chin's campaign said she she was proud to represent the Democratic and Working Families Party lines on the general election ballot.

"Democrats sent Councilwoman Chin to victory in the Democratic Primary Election based upon her strong record of preserving and expanding affordable housing and standing up for tenants," the spokesman said in a statement. "Councilwoman Chin looks forward to speaking with Lower Manhattan voters between now and November, as well as to another four years on the Council, where she will continue her work to make New York a more livable, affordable city for all."

The general election for the District 1 City Council seat will likely be a contentious one. While both campaigns waited for election officials to certify primary results, Chin accused Marte of intimidating and harassing voters. Marte's campaign denied the allegations.

The general election is on Nov. 7.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the final vote tally. Marte lost by 222 votes.

Image credit: Slaven Vlasic / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment.