Manhattan Election Guide 2018: Races To Watch And How To Vote

NEW YORK, NY — Political pundits, activists and candidates of all leanings are calling this year's midterm elections one of the most important votes in recent history. New York City is far from a swing vote, but registered voters will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6 to cast their ballots and earn the almighty "I Voted" sticker.

Candidates for statewide offices such as governor and attorney general, the State Senate and Assembly, and federal offices such as the U.S. House of Representatives will be on the ballot Tuesday. There are also three ballot initiatives that directly affect New York City, so there's no reason not to vote.

For Manhattan dwellers who need a quick refresher, here's a quick guide to read before heading toward the voting booth. You can also find information on where you should go to vote.

Races To Watch

Most New York City general elections heavily favor the Democratic nominee. It's even rarer for Republicans to pull out an upset in Manhattan, which is usually the most liberal borough in the city.

While these three races may not be too close when it comes to counting ballots, they have interesting backstories.

State Senate District 31

Candidates: Robert Jackson (D), Melinda Crump (R) and Marisol Alcantara (Independence Party)

Former City Councilman Robert Jackson is one of many Democratic nominees for the State Senate who knocked members of the Independent Democratic Caucus out of their seats in the September primary elections. Jackson handily defeated one-term Senator Marisol Alcantara by capturing 56 percent of the vote compare to the incumbent’s 38 percent.

Alcantara will be on the ballot under the Independence Party line for the upcoming general election, but will have to overcome long odds for a victory. The State Senate’s 31st District — which represents Washington Heights, Inwood and parts of Harlem and the Upper West Side — has been represented by Democrats for decades.

Jackson lost to Alcantara in the 2016 primary for the seat after Alcantara was endorsed by Adriano Espaillat following his election to the United States House of Representatives. Espaillat did not endorse Alcantara in 2018 due to her affiliation with the IDC.

Republican Melinda Crump ran unopposed for her party’s nomination. She also ran in 2016 and lost to Alcantara in a landslide.

Congressional District 12

Candidates: Carolyn Maloney (D), Eliot Rabin (R) and Scott Hutchins (Green)

Democratic incumbent Carolyn Maloney is one of the longest serving members of New York City’s congressional delegation, and she will likely cruise to victory on her 25th year in service. Maloney faced one of her toughest primary challenges in years, defeating upstart Suraj Patel in September with 59 percent of the vote compared to his 40 percent.

Local businessman Eliot Rabin is challenging Maloney. Rabin is the founder of the Peter Elliot luxury clothing business on the Upper East Side.

When it comes to money, Maloney has a huge advantage. The incumbent has raised $1.9 million, spent $2.2 million and has more than $178,000 on hand this election cycle (including the primary), according to the Federal Election Commission. By comparison, Rabin has raised a little more than $30,000.

Congressional District 13

Congressman Adriano Espaillat is poised to defend his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time since a somewhat surprising win in 2016. The incumbent ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination during this year’s primary elections.

Espaillat succeeded longtime representative Charles Rangel in 2016 after narrowly defeating Rangel’s chosen successor Keith Wright, a former New York State Assemblyman. The election signified a shift in power from Harlem to the district's neighborhoods in uptown Manhattan and the Bronx.

Jineea Butler is challenging Espaillat on the Republican and Libertarian party lines. Espaillat has a massive fundraising advantage, with more than $770,000 raised compared to Butler’s $5,927, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Additional Races

Here's a list of the other statewide and national offices up for grabs.

Congressional Races

Beside Maloney and Espaillat, three other U.S. Congress Members are defending their seats in Manhattan. Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s sky blue district 10 cover’s the borough’s West Side and parts of Brooklyn. This year he faces a lone Republican challenger, political newcomer Naomi Levin. Rep. Jose Serrano is also facing a single opponent, Republican Jason Gonzalez, for his district 15 seat of East Harlem and parts of the Bronx. To the south, Rep. Nydia Velazquez — whose district 7 spans Chinatown, the Lower East Side and parts of Brooklyn and Queens — is facing Conservative Party challenger Joseph Liberman and Reform Party candidate Jeffrey Kurzon.

State Senate Races

Manhattan’s State Senate races include Brian Kavanagh — whose district 26 encompasses Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn — a recent convert from the State Assembly where he represented the neighboring district 74. Kavanagh is facing two challengers for the seat: Republican Anthony Arias and Conservative Party candidate Stuart J. Avrick. Republican Peter Holmberg is vying for State Senator Liz Krueger’s district 28 seat, which includes the Upper East Side, Murray Hill and Gramercy. State Senator Brad Hoylman is running unopposed to represent district 27, which includes the East Village, Chelsea and Midtown, along with State Senator Brian Benjamin, whose district 30 includes Harlem, Sugar Hill and part of the Upper West Side.

State Assembly Races

Manhattan’s State Assembly races features 12 incumbents favored to win reelection and maintain Democrats hold on the Assembly. The candidates up for reelection include Yuh-Line Niou of district 65, Deborah Glick of district 68, Linda Rosenthal of district 67, Daniel O’Donnell of district 69, Inez Dickens of district 70, Al Taylor of district 71, Carmen De La Rosa of district 73, Harvey Epstein of district 74, Richard Gottfried of district 75 and Rebecca Seawright of district 76.

When To Vote

The 2018 primary election will take place on Tuesday Nov. 6 and polling sites will remain open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Where To Vote

Registered voters can find their polling site by logging their address into this city website.

Patch's lower Manhattan editor Caroline Spivack contributed to this report.

(Lead image: Voting booths and crates of polling station supplies are seen in the Bronx in November 2016. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)