NEW YORK — It took more than three weeks of waiting after Election Day, but ranked-choice voting has its first winner in New York City.
In a special election for City Council in Queens, community organizer Selvena Brooks-Powers won 51% of the vote after a hand count of more than seven thousand ballots ended Thursday.
The tally took two-and-a-half days and went for nine rounds in the race for the Council’s 31st District in southeast Queens and Far Rockaway.
Brooks-Powers must still be legally certified the winner before taking office.
The vote count was conducted by hand because the state Board of Elections is still examining tabulation software that the city purchased.
The software is expected to be certified in April and ready in time for the June primaries, when ranked-choice voting will be used citywide.
The new approach allows New Yorkers to rank up to five candidates in order of preference.
If no candidates get a majority of the first-choice votes, the worst performer is eliminated and second-choice votes considered.
The process continues until a candidate surpasses 50%.
If no candidate gets a majority, the lowest performer is eliminated and their votes redistributed.
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) January 23, 2021
The process continues until someone gets more than 50% of the vote. @errollouis explains. #NY1Politicshttps://t.co/D18kHyuMTE pic.twitter.com/NNyjf4o3UD
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