Next year will likely be an election season for the ages. And the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) is preparing so.

With 35 New York City Council seats up for grabs, five of which are in the Bronx, more candidates will be on hand (CFB expects 500 candidates), especially those new to politics. Meantime, all five borough presidents, including Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., will have vacancies.

Running campaigns is not cheap, leaving many candidates who believe they can make a difference to not even consider the thought. But CFB is looking to undo that by reminding would-be candidates of its 8-to-1 matching campaign funds program, where donations can grow eight times the original amount. This can be a boon to candidates who are new to running for office, where donations from deep-pocketed corporations or special interest groups are virtually absent.

Rather than let newbie candidates figure out the unwieldy process of qualifying for the program, the CFB is setting out to hold information sessions ahead of the 2021 elections, where prospective candidates are currently building their apparatuses.

In the Bronx, CFB staffers plan to hold a workshop at the Bronx Library Center on July 20, breaking down the essentials of the program aimed at curbing big money influence in elections.

“The CFB’s matching funds program helps more candidates run for city office. We want to make sure the program is available to as many potential candidates as possible by making our training sessions more accessible,” said Amy Loprest, executive director of the CFB, through a statement.

Getting involved often involves doing one’s own fundraising first: cobbling $5,000 first from a minimum of 75 individuals who live in the Council district a candidate is running in. The 8-to-1 matching funds program is the newest program following changes to the New York City Charter that was passed through a referendum vote last November election. The old program, which favors established candidates, still exists.

The new program appears to favor small-dollar donors, where $10 transforms into $90 ($10 + the $80 provided by CFB). Big donors have been limited in what they can give, a maximum of $1,000. NYCCFB will only match $175 at eight times the amount, putting the donation to $2400 ($175 x 8 = $1400 + the original $1000). The older program puts maximum contributions per donor at $2,850.

11th Council District Showdown
The strength of this new program may be tested in the race for the 11th Council District, where speculation has swirled that Councilman Andrew Cohen, representing Norwood, will step down from his post towards the end of the year following a nomination to judge after the Judicial Convention scheduled somewhere between August 8 and August 14. The move is similar to an original plan orchestrated last year by the Bronx Democratic Party, where Cohen would receive a judgeship. But those plans were scrapped following the loss of state Sen. Jeff Klein, forcing the party to maintain stability.

Election rules allow Cohen’s name to be placed on the ballot for the November general election, should a judge originally set to run would step aside. Should Cohen win (the borough is heavily Democratic, making the possibility of a Republican challenger winning a judgeship in the Bronx remote) he can remain Council Member up until Dec. 31, the day before he is sworn to be judge.

With Charter rules mandating the New York City Mayor set a special election date 90 days after a Council Member has vacated their post, Bronx residents can expect to see a 2020 showdown between candidates as early as February 2020.

So far, Daniel Padernacht, an attorney and member of Riverdale-based Community Board 8, has declared for office and plans to participate in the new program. “This new program keeps the big money out of campaigns and helps level the playing field — which is what it should all be about, fair and honest elections,” Padernacht said in a statement to the Norwood News.

Padernacht isn’t taking any chances over the party’s political machinations, given its original plan from last year. “The campaign is fully prepared and expecting something to happen in August. If it doesn’t happen then we’re still ahead of the game anyway,” said a campaign spokesperson.

Eric Dinowitz, a teacher who serves as District Leader for the 81st Assembly District and the scion of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, has also declared and is a participant of the new program. He has already received $2,675 donations from his father, bringing the younger Dinowitz’s campaign war chest at $55,247.

The younger Dinowitz is also being carefully groomed by his father, raising his profile ahead of the Council race, and ushering him around local events whenever possible. Eric’s pictures have also appeared in official state taxpayer-funded newsletter, though he’s listed as a community advocate. The presence of father and son appearing on taxpayer-funded literature may cause some to wonder whether this violates state rules that bar legislators to use their official position to “secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions” for others, but the elder Dinowitz stands he’s done nothing wrong.

“I follow the rules to the letter. Always,” the Assemblyman told the Norwood News.

An attorney with the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission pointed to the Assembly’s ethics rules and Public Officer’s Law that indicate Dinowitz has abided by the statutes. Padernacht hasn’t filed a formal complaint on this nor sought an advisory opinion on it.

Still, notwithstanding the two political rivals, the CFB’s program, and its own campaign for greater involvement, could attract another candidate out of obscurity, throwing a wrench at Dinowitz and Padernacht’s binary matchup.

“We hope this will further increase the diversity of candidates running for office and provide better representation for all communities in New York City’s elections,” said Loprest in her statement.

Even so, any race could be upended by political machinations. Special elections take place 45 days after an incumbent has vacated their seat. Should Cohen decide to leave his position upon nomination to a judgeship, it would give a candidate just 45 days to prepare for a race, a short amount of time to build an apparatus.