The New York City Primary Election is less than two weeks away, and with early voting starting on June 14, now is the time to learn about who’s running in your local City Council race.
Two Democrats are competing in the primary for Council District 33, which includes Greenpoint and Williamsburg along with parts of Bed-Stuy, Downtown Brooklyn, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Incumbent Lincoln Restler is facing a last-minute challenge from Sabrina Gates, a deputy director at the Brooklyn Democratic Party. As is often the case in the left-leaning D33, there will be no Republican primary.
Lincoln Restler
Incumbent City Council Member
Restler, a lifelong Brooklynite, got his start in politics in 2007, when he started work as a program analyst in the New York City mayor’s office under Mike Bloomberg. He was elected to the City Council in 2021, and handily won re-election in 2023.
A member of the council’s Progressive Caucus and chair of the body’s Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation, Restler has prioritized street safety, climate change, and transportation. He helped lead a local effort to “Make McGuinness Safe,” introduced legislation meant to help warn and protect New Yorkers when air quality is low, and last year invested $4 million in the district’s Title I schools.
“From fighting for housing affordability and school equity to fixing potholes and preventing evictions, our office has resolved thousands of constituent cases — and we’re not slowing down,” Restler said on his campaign website. “With your vote, we’ll keep shaping a 33rd District that’s a model for Brooklyn, New York City, and beyond.”
Restler has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, the New York Working Families Party, and SEIU 32BJ, among others.
Sabrina Gates
Gates, who has lived in northern Brooklyn for two decades, graduated from Georgetown University and spent several years working in the nonprofit sphere before getting involved in local politics.
Now a deputy director at the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Gates said on her campaign website that she has organized large events and programs for the party, supported young people through after-school financial literacy initiatives, and supported individuals and organizations as a consultant.
Gates entered the primary just last month and says that If elected, said she will prioritize increasing affordable housing in the district, increasing public investment in Pre-K and 3-K programs, supporting local small businesses, and defending the district against climate change.
I believe in smart, common-sense policies that genuinely uplift people and communities,” Gates said on her website. “I believe in democracy, not hypocrisy—because our values, our rules, and our integrity shouldn’t only apply when it’s convenient.”
Gates is backed by the Brooklyn Democratic Party and its chair, Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn.
New York’s primary election will be held June 24, with early voting scheduled from June 14 to June 22. To find your pollsite, visit vote.nyc. The winner of the Republican primary will move on to the general election on Nov. 5.
This roundup is part of an ongoing series. Check back for more information on candidates in competitive races across Brooklyn, and check out our candidate roundups for Brooklyn Borough President, Council District 35, Council District 36, Council District 38, Council District 39, Council District 41, Council District 46, Council District 47, Council District 48, and Civil Court Judge.
