Tenants PAC, a leading advocate for tenants’ rights in New York State, has endorsed District 16 City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, in her campaign to become the Bronx borough president. According to its website, the PAC’s mission is to give a strong public voice to tenants, and to make tenants a viable electoral force.

 

Michael McKee is treasurer of the PAC and said the group was proud to support Gibson because of her proven record protecting tenants’ rights. “Vanessa’s work sponsoring the Right to Counsel law in the City Council is truly groundbreaking, and has already helped lower evictions across New York City. Now, we need to build on that success and elect Vanessa as Borough President, where she’ll be able to do even more to keep renters in their homes, improve their living conditions, and create more truly affordable housing,” McKee said. “We are excited to keep working with Vanessa when she is elected Borough President.”

 

Reacting to the news, Gibson thanked the committed members of the PAC for their endorsement. “I’m proud of sponsoring the nation’s first Right to Counsel law, providing free legal representation to tenants facing eviction,” she said. “As borough president, I’ll continue the fight for affordable housing – by investing in NYCHA, supporting Community Land Trusts, continuing my efforts to keep renters in their homes, and working to create thousands of new truly affordable units across the borough. We must support tenants and fight against displacement to keep families in their homes.”

 

According to its website, Tenants Political Action Committee, Inc., was founded in the aftermath of the Rent Wars of 1997. Tenant leaders from New York City and its suburban counties ― the only parts of New York State with rent control and rent stabilization laws ― founded the PAC to give renters more clout with elected officials at the only place most politicians care about: the ballot box.

 

Meanwhile, other candidates in the Bronx borough presidency race include Councilman Fernando Cabrera, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernández, former NYPD Detective Sammy Ravelo and State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda.

 

The New York primary elections will take place on Tuesday, June 22, and early voting will take place from June 12 to June 20.  May 28 was the last day to register to vote in the June 22 primary election. There are 22 early voting sites throughout the Bronx and finding out which one is yours is simple. Visit find my poll site to find your early voting and election day poll site, and view a sample ballot. Check the hours and location of your poll site before you participate in early voting.

 

All registered voters can request an absentee ballot be mailed to them if they wish to vote by mail. The deadline to request a mailed ballot online, by email, fax, or by mail is Tuesday, June 15, 2021. You can submit your ballot request online or mail a paper request form to the New York City Board of Elections. Note the application request must be postmarked by June 15.

 

For information about the new voting system (ranked choice voting) see here. For a full list of all candidates running in the Bronx, and in the Citywide races, see here.