District Leaders

Job Description

District Leaders are members of the county committee’s executive leadership, involved in the decision-making of the county’s party organization.

Powers and Responsibilities
note: this may vary with specific county party organizations

Votes for:
- the chair of the county party organization
- other county party officers
- party nominees in special elections within the county
- adopting and amending party rules
- recommending candidates for commissioner of the county board of elections
Endorses candidates
Hires poll workers and election inspectors (poll workers that run the poll sites)
Serves, in some cases, as state committee member – the representative to the state’s party committee (determined by local county committee)
Handles get out the vote (GOTV) efforts

How We Vote for District Leaders

There is at least one district leader per assembly district, though most parties divide the positions into 2 or 4 parts – equally divided by female and male seats. This is why you’ll see “Female District Leader” and “Male District Leader” on the ballot. The parts are labeled in letters, so there are parts A through D in districts with 4 subdivisions.

A Few Facts

Term Length
2 years

Eligibility Requirements for Candidates
• Must be a registered voter in the respective party
• Positions are divided equally between female and male members

Voting for this Position
• Elected from state assembly districts
• Some districts divide into subparts, labeled in letters, just for this position

On the 9/12/17 primary election ballot…
• There are currently elections for district leader in:
◦ New York County – Democratic Party
• Some candidates may not appear on the ballot, as they may not have any challengers

New York County (Manhattan) Candidates for District Leader

click for the full list!

Democratic Party Candidates

Assembly District 65 – Part As

Female District Leader Candidate – 2170 total votes
Karen B. Blatt (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 47.2% with 1024 votes
Caroline Laskow • Will represent party voters • Got 52.6% with 1142 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 2197 total votes
Lee Berman • Will represent party voters • Got 57.9% with 1271 votes
Jacob J. Goldman (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 41.8% with 919 votes

Assembly District 65 – Part B

Female District Leader Candidate – 2991 total votes
Alice Cancel (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 46.5% with 1391 votes
Daisy Paez • Will represent party voters • Got 53.0% with 1586 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 2552 total votes
Ken Paskar • Didn’t make the cut • Got 40.4% with 1030 votes
Pedro A. Cardi (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 58.9% with 1503 votes

Assembly District 68 – Part B

Female District Leader Candidate – 1835 total votes
Theresa Rowell • Didn’t make the cut • Got 39.0% with 715 votes
Peggy A. Morales (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 59.9% with 1100 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 1961 total votes
Omar Jackson • Didn’t make the cut • Got 42.8% with 839 votes
Harry Rodriguez • Will represent party voters • Got 56.3% with 1104 votes

Assembly District 68 – Part C

Female District Leader Candidate – 1484 total votes
Melissa Mark-Viverito (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 69.5% with 1031 votes
Tanisha P. Dejesus • Didn’t make the cut • Got 30.1% with 447 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 1320 total votes
Kelmy Rodriguez • Didn’t make the cut • Got 41.1% with 542 votes
John Ruiz (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 57.7% with 761 votes

Assembly District 70 – Part A

Female District Leader Candidate – 2667 total votes
Cordell Cleare (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 76.9% with 2051 votes
Pharein Griffith • Didn’t make the cut • Got 22.6% with 604 votes

Assembly District 70 – Part D

Female District Leader Candidate – 1808 total votes
Gricel Ortiz-Thompson • Didn’t make the cut • Got 27.4% with 495 votes
Norma Campusano • Will represent party voters • Got 36.7% with 663 votes
Alicia Barksdale (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 35.6% with 643 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 1583 total votes
Daniel N. Clark (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 46.2% with 731 votes
Corey Ortega • Will represent party voters • Got 53.1% with 841 votes

Assembly District 72 – Part A

Female District Leader Candidate – 2176 total votes
Argentina Cruz • Didn’t make the cut • Got 36.7% with 799 votes
Maria Morillo (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 63.1% with 1373 votes

Assembly District 75 – Part B

Female District Leader Candidate – 3325 total votes
Denise M. Spillane (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 41.7% with 1388 votes
Melissa E. Redanty • Will represent party voters • Got 57.9% with 1924 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 3306 total votes
Mikey Spillane (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 44.3% with 1463 votes
Thomas D. Shanahan • Will represent party voters • Got 55.3% with 1829 votes

Assembly District 76 – Part A

Female District Leader Candidate – 3384 total votes
Esther B. Yang • Didn’t make the cut • Got 40.0% with 1352 votes
Jill Eisner (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 59.9% with 2026 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 3211 total votes
John Halebian (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 38.6% with 1239 votes
Benjamin D. Wetzler • Will represent party voters • Got 61.3% with 1967 votes

Assembly District 76 – Part B

Female District Leader Candidate – 3591 total votes
Medelaine D. Piel • Didn’t make the cut • Got 39.6% with 1423 votes
Kim Moscaritolo (incumbent) • Will represent party voters • Got 60.0% with 2155 votes

Male District Leader Candidate – 3749 total votes
Joshua S. Kravitz • Will represent party voters • Got 54.3% with 2034 votes
Adam Roberts (incumbent) • Didn’t make the cut • Got 45.5% with 1706 votes