A week ago, after the initial RCV tabulation was re-published on June 30, Feliz led the race with 65.5 percent of the vote share versus Bravo’s 34.5 percent, as of that date. On Election Night, Feliz led with 39.48 percent to Bravo’s 19.75 percent.

As reported, Feliz released a statement following the publication of the initial RCV count results on July 2, writing later on social media, “We won our reelection with a crushing 65.5% of the vote! These numbers are for those who erroneously thought I was a vulnerable candidate, simply because I didn’t have all the institutional support! (Elections are decided by People, not institutions!)”

 

He added, “This W is also for disadvantaged Bronxites who have been asking for a fighter who can deliver for them! We worked hard to get here, and will fight equally hard to deliver for the people I proudly represent! Thank you, CD15!”

On July 7, following the publication of the second and final RCV tabulation, the councilman following up with another message to his supporters, writing, “With absentee ballots counted, our lead has remained the same. Thank you to all who joined us on our journey to the City Council! Grateful for all of the support! Thank you!”

Meanwhile, pictured voting with her two sons on Primary Day, runner-up, Bravo posted on Twitter later that day, “We just voted 🗳. I do it for them and for all the hard working moms who were told they couldn’t do it. Cheers to all my mamas in District 15. I will fight for us like a mom fights for her kids. #vote #PrimaryDay.”

As reported, during the course of her campaign, Bravo had highlighted her experience and knowledge of the local area and the issues affecting local residents through her work as district manger for Bronx Community Board 7. Affordable housing was just one of the issues which the candidate had been particularly passionate about, making it clear in the context of one particular housing discussion during one of the regular Bronx CB7 meetings that poor people should never be demonized for wanting to move into affordable housing in middle-class neighborhoods. “We deserve to live with dignity and respect, in our communities,” she said.

As reported, Bravo secured major endorsements throughout her campaign from many major labor unions and local city officials, including that of Bronx borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr., who was seen campaigning with her from time to time across the borough. Bravo had also received the backing of anti-gun violence activist, Leandra Feliz, mother of the late Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, who was murdered by gang members in the Bronx in June 2018, and whose anniversary fell on the eve of the primary elections on June 21.

 

“We need someone that is experienced and that knows the inequities that our neighbors are facing through living experiences, through work experiences, and understand what our city agencies need to be doing to address our needs,” she said. She went on to say that tackling housing inequity was one of her priorities, as well as working with other council members to make sure that people had an option for proper housing, especially those facing possible eviction.

District Manager for Bronx Community Board 6, John Sanchez, previously profiled by Norwood News, also ran a strong campaign, coming in in fourth position and winning 15.6 percent of the vote before he was eliminated after Round 4. As reported, Sanchez received the endorsements of the State Environmental Group, among others, like three-term City Councilman for the 17th City Council District and chair of the City Council committee on land use, Rafael Salamanca, who announced in January that he had dropped out of the Bronx borough president’s race. Salamanca regained his council seat easily in the recent primary race, as reported.

 

Having placed third in the recent special election, Sanchez was subsequently overtaken by Bernadette Ferrara in the primary, who finished with 19.6 percent of the vote. Ferrara had campaigned heavily on opposing the movement to defund the police. Two days before Election Day, she wrote, “District 15 is a community of strugglers and strivers. Our community wants safe streets, good schools and more jobs.”

 

She added, “What we don’t want: to defund the police, lack of school choice and job-killing regulations, fines and taxes on the small businesses that provide most of the jobs here. I am running to represent the people who live here, not to promote dangerous policies that are trendy with radical politicians. Bernadette Ferrara – I am #1 on the ballot and your #1 choice for City Council. Let’s take our city back!”

 

Meanwhile, on Election Day, June 22, Troy Blackwell wrote on Twitter, “100 yrs ago, half of my family were trying to flee the
Jim Crow south and lynchings. The other half were sugarcane pickers in Puerto Rico. Today, I got to walk into a voting booth and vote for myself. When we say we are our ancestors wildest dreams — this is what we mean.”

 

As previously reported, Kenny Agosto, Elisa Crespo and Latchmi Gopal had dropped out of the race before the first counts began.

We just voted 🗳💙💙
I do it for them and for all the hard working moms who were told they couldn’t do it. Cheers to all my mamas in District 15. I will fight for us like a mom fights for her kids. #vote #PrimaryDay pic.twitter.com/JJnKnnxAxI

— Ischia Bravo for City Council Dist.15 (@Bronxbravo) June 22, 2021

 

As also reported, the BOE recently released an important video notice in which the agency asked New Yorkers to keep an eye out for a potential notice from the agency which explains how they can correct any invalid absentee ballots, where applicable.

 

According to the latest (July 6) RCV report, there were 1,531 inactive ballots in this race. It is this process of curing the ballots which is now taking place before the BOE can ratify the election. Even if all such ballots were to be cured and were to go in  Bravo’s favor, they would still not amount to enough total votes to surpass Feliz.

 

As reported, Norwood News has queried with the BOE the sequence of how the second RCV tabulation was carried out (as opposed to the methodology) in all the recent primary races. We will update this story upon receipt of any further information we receive.