New Yorkers: You Can Vote on Feb 26 — No Party Required!

Get ready to pick your new public advocate in this (very) special election.

Here’s a hot tip for all New Yorkers: You can vote in the New York City public advocate race on February 26 whether you’re enrolled in a party or not. You only need to be a registered voter within the five boroughs to cast your ballot in this heated special election — one that now has 17 candidates jostling to be first past the post. (That’s down from 23 since last Tuesday...)

A good way to start sifting through the crowd is to watch the first official debate this Wednesday, February 6, at 7pm, on NY1, NYC-TV or live-streamed on NY1’s website and Facebook page. The next one will be on February 20 at the same time.

What is the “New York City public advocate” and how come I’ve never heard of it?

There are quite a few reasons you might not have even heard of the New York City public advocate — but it’s a pretty important job.

One of just three elected citywide officials, the public advocate is there to call out corruption in city government, propose legislation to the City Council, and field New York residents’ complaints of abuse and unfairness. Worried about the safety record of your kids’ school bus company? Scared the MTA will raise fares again in spite of its famously deteriorating service? Think someone should take on the mayor for accepting Ben Carson’s underfunded deal to rescue the city’s neglected public housing system? The public advocate can shout for you.

One reason you might not know about the public advocate’s office is that it hasn’t been equipped with the resources to make a big splash. The department has a minuscule annual budget of $3 million, and though it can sue the city on behalf of residents, it only has limited powers of litigation. (Some candidates have vowed to change that.) Only four people have been elected to the public advocate role since the job’s inception in 1989, but New York is still the only big city in the U.S. to have one.

Many New Yorkers are unaware that Bill de Blasio was New York City public advocate before he became mayor in 2013. He’s best known for starting the city’s Worst Landlords Watchlist during his tenure. (Ironically, he now finds himself — or, rather, the city he governs — at the top of that list.)

Another little-known fact about the public advocate is that the officeholder is next in line to succeed the mayor, should the latter die or become unable to serve. That’s right — the public advocate is one heart attack, illness or spin-resistant scandal away from running this town.

Mayor de Blasio called the February 26 special election to temporarily fill the seat vacated by Letitia James, who left to become New York State attorney general on January 1. Because the mayor designated February 26 as a nonpartisan race, candidates must discard their preexisting party affiliations and make up brand-new parties, with no two parties alike. So instead of Democrats, Republicans or independents on the ballot, you’ll see candidates running under the “Fix the MTA” party, the “Unite Immigrants” party, the “No More Delays” party and 14 other newly formed tickets with snappy names.

The lucky winner will then have to run again in November 2019 if they want to stay in the job through 2021 (the remainder of Letitia James’s term). That means a partisan primary this June (with the old familiar party names back in play), just a few months after the February 26 election.

Besides watching the two televised debates, you might want to take in a public forum in your neighborhood. They’re being held all over the city nearly every few days. Last Thursday’s forum in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn featured deep policy discussions and some candidate hijinks I’ll have to save for another post.

Find your polling place here and get out there on Tuesday, February 26, to vote for this New Yorkiest of New York City pols!