NO WOMEN OR LATINOS

Submitted by ub on

Why is it that New York City registered voters have never overwhelmingly cast their ballots for a woman or a Latino candidate?  

Ladies first - New York City has never had a woman mayor. While some women have come close, including Kathryn Garcia in the 2021 primary, no female candidate has ever been elected to the office. 

  • No woman has been elected mayor: All of New York City's mayors have been men.
  • Recent near-misses: In the 2021 Democratic primary, Kathryn Garcia came very close to winning the nomination, losing to Eric Adams by a narrow margin.
  • Contenders in past elections: Dianne Morales and Maya Wiley were also strong female candidates in past mayoral elections.
  • Women in other city government roles: It's important to note that while there haven't been any women mayors, women hold other important positions in city government, such as Adrienne Adams, who is the Speaker of the City Council. 
     
  • While several prominent Latino politicians have run for the office, including Herman Badillo and Fernando Ferrer, none have won. Herman Badillo: He was the first Latino to run for mayor competitively in 1969, but he lost the election. He served as Bronx Borough President and later as a commissioner.
  • Fernando Ferrer: He ran for mayor twice, in 2001 and 2005. He served as Bronx Borough President before his mayoral campaigns but was ultimately unsuccessful in becoming mayor.