There are just weeks to go until New York City’s June 24 primary election, and with early voting set to begin on June 14, New Yorkers are preparing to head to the polls.
All 51 seats of the City Council are on the ballot this year, but some races are more competitive than others — while some incumbents are running unopposed, many are facing challengers from new candidates.
In Council District 35, which encompasses Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, and Fort Greene, Democrats have piled into the race against incumbent Crystal Hudson: community leaders Dion Ashman and Hector Robertson, and Kenny Lever, who is set to appear on the ballot but has not actively campaigned. There will not be a Republican primary in District 35.
Crystal Hudson
Incumbent City Council Member
A third-generation Brooklynite, Hudson has been involved in public service since 2018, when she became Chief of Operations for then-City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo. She was first elected in 2021, and won an easy re-election in 2023.
Hudson, the chair of the Council’s Committee on Aging, has honed in on public health, caring for the city’s seniors, and LGBTQ+ rights. In her first term, she introduced the “Black Agenda for New York City,” a package of bills that addressed housing discrimination, citywide access to midwives and doulas, and accessible childcare.
Since then, Hudson has passed several bills meant to protect and educate seniors about discrimination and fraud and introduced legislation that would increase transparency and regulations related to housing code violations and rent stabilization.
“From a young age, my mother instilled in me that power is in community, that community is love, and that community is also a verb,” Hudson said on her campaign website. “When there is no one to fight for us but us, community becomes action. It is where we come from and who we want to be. Community keeps us safe. And community keeps us going.”
Hudson has been endorsed by the Brooklyn Young Democrats, Citizen Action of NY, the Stonewall Democratic Club, and public officials including Attorney General Letitia James and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Dion Michael Ashman
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Dion Michael Ashman founded “Our Gang Productions,” a company dedicated to TV and radio programming about African American news, arts, and culture, in 1988.
In his past community service efforts previously served as chair of the Community Board 9 Youth Committee and volunteered as a counselor at the Crown Heights Youth Collective, and served as athletic director for two local juvenile detention centers.
Ashman’s priorities include updating the city’s “Fair Share” policies to ensure resources and facilities are evenly distributed across neighborhoods; addressing healthcare disparities; and charging developers of new residential housing a fee to help pay for affordable housing projects. The candidate is also campaigning on modifying the city’s Open Streets program, and is against weekday open streets like those in Willoughby and Underhill avenues.
On his campaign website, Ashman describes himself as “an engaged advocate for his community’s socioeconomic well-being,” and said he “fights against overdevelopment that causes class and cultural displacement and consistently champions the growth of local businesses.”
Hector Robertson
Hector Robertson, a longtime Crown Heights resident, has had a long career in the healthcare industry, and first ran for office in 2021.
On his campaign website, Robertson said he was moved to public service after seeing his neighbors dealing with abuse and harassment from landlords while fighting to keep their housing; and founded both the Washington Avenue Botanic Block Association and the Crown Heights Community Council.
His campaign platform includes fighting to create more permanent, truly-affordable housing, invest in NYCHA; protecting local green spaces, and advocating for seniors. On his website, Robertson said he has an “unwavering pledge to serving families who are in desperate need to keep a roof over their heads and keep their families safe.”
Kenny Lever
A fourth candidate, Kenny Lever, will appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary — but Lever does not appear to have a campaign website or social media presence, and Brooklyn Paper was not able to get in contact with him.
New York’s primary election will be held Tuesday, June 24, with early voting scheduled from June 14 to June 22. To find your polling site, visit vote.nyc.
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 39 and Council District 37.
