This article is adapted from our March 20 edition of RANKED CHOICES, THE CITY’s weekly election newsletter. Click here to sign up.
Dear New Yorkers,
Mayor Eric Adams has often said, when asked about his shift right politically, that he didn’t leave the party he’s currently registered in — “the Democratic Party left me.”
That theme is even more relevant heading into primary season. This week, as his campaign released meager fundraising totals for the latest filing period, he didn’t rule out running for re-election not as a Democrat but as an independent.
“When I’m ready to roll out my official re-announcement and my plan, I will do so,” he said Monday when asked if he would run as something other than a Democrat. “I’m going to make sure all of you are invited to it.”
On Tuesday, the head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party — a longtime Adams ally who recently came out in support of Andrew Cuomo for mayor — said in a TV interview it was looking “more likely” Adams would run on an independent line.
Wait, but can Adams even do that? Some voters might be confused (admittedly, I was), since it’s been a long time since the Independence Party was a thing in New York. (Mayoral candidate Jim Walden, a former prosecutor, has sued to be able to run on the big-I Independent Party line this year.)
But running as a little-i independent candidate for mayor is different from running with the now-defunct Independence Party. What Adams reportedly wants to do is petition independently, representing no party, to run in the general election in November.
That means he would skip June’s primary altogether and appear only on the ballot in the fall.
To do that, he would need to gather signatures through the general petitioning process from April 15 to May 27, according to the state political calendar.
And yes, he can simultaneously petition as a Democrat and an independent, meaning he could run in the June primary as a Democrat and then run partyless in November regardless of the primary’s outcome.
We have more on those possibilities in this guide to the getting-on-the-ballot process.
And here’s our longer look at the fundraising hauls of all of the Democratic candidates right now. Spoiler alert: Cuomo has brought in gobs of money, and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani continues to rake in tons of small-dollar donations.
What else do you want to know? Drop us a line with your voting questions: ask@thecity.nyc.
— Katie Honan and THE CITY’s election team
What We’re Reading …
Hot takes on street life: Here’s a roundup on where the Democratic candidates stand on outdoor dining, Open Streets and containerizing trash.Deep-dive from THE CITY’s Claudia Irizarry Aponte on what role powerful labor unions are playing in the primary. Before we get to the city’s budget, there is the state budget — and this guide from New York Focus will help you understand what’s on the docket in Albany.A “war of the wonks” during the first comptroller debate. From the “Red Sea” to “The People’s Republic of Astoria” — City & State maps the political factions of Queens.
What’s Ahead …
Days until the June primary: 97
March 22: A mayoral forum hosted by The Nation and the Working Families Party, moderated by THE CITY’s FAQ NYC podcast co-host Dr. Christina Greer. At BRIC Brooklyn, 647 Fulton St., 2 p.m. Register here.
March 24: Virtual mayoral candidate forum with preservation groups, hosted by Village Preservation, 6 p.m. Pre-registration required.
March 25: Special election to replace Councilmember Kalman Yeger in City Council District 44. Are you in that Brooklyn district? Find out here.
March 29: Student-led mayoral town hall, 1 to 3 p.m. at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St. in Manhattan. RSVP here.
March 31: Mayoral forum on climate justice hosted by Climate Works for All and moderated by THE CITY’s Samantha Maldonado. 6:30 p.m. at the CUNY Law School, 2 Court Square West, Queens. RSVP here; seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Your Election Questions, Answered
Reader Stuart Z. asked: Are there mail-in ballots for the June 24 primary?
Answer: Yes, there is a mail-in option for the June primary, but you must request your ballot by June 14. Request your mail-in ballot here from the city Board of Elections, and you can read more information about voting by mail here as well as download mail-in ballot applications in five languages.
Have a question for our election team? Reply back to this email or send your questions to ask@thecity.nyc.
THE CAMPAIGN KICKER: Our mayor was especially candid at a town hall in Far Rockaway this week — talking about riding the A train for “his shorty” on the peninsula. “Love is blind, man.”
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The post Eyeing Mayor Adams’ Independent Option as He Lags in the Money Race appeared first on THE CITY – NYC News.
