2021 APA VOICE Primary Election Candidate Surveys
Candidates for Public Advocate, Comptroller, Queens Borough President, and City Council were requested to complete these surveys to reflect their campaign stances. The questions were developed by APA VOICE, and the surveys for City Council District 19, City Council District 20, and Queens Borough President were developed in collaboration with THE CITY news. The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) created the mayoral candidate survey linked below (translated in Bengali, Korean, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese). Scroll down to find the surveys, and click to read in your preferred language.
Voter Guides
Learn more about why these primary elections matter, the candidates for mayor, how ranked-choice voting works, and what your rights are as a voter.
Mayor
As the city’s top executive, the mayor sets the agenda of the city and drafts the city budget that serves as a blueprint for how we pay for those initiatives. The mayor also appoints the heads of every city agency and can approve or veto legislation passed by the City Council.
Comptroller
New York City’s comptroller is the municipal auditor and fiduciary. The Office of the Comptroller’s chief responsibilities are to prepare audits and oversee how city agencies are spending their money, manage the city’s public pension funds, and issue bonds to help pay for large projects. The comptroller also reviews city contracts.
Public Advocate
The public advocate acts as a critic or ombudsman for city policies and priorities. The Office of the Public Advocate looks into complaints from New Yorkers about everything from city programs to tenant gripes about private landlords. They raise awareness on issues through written reports, research studies, news conferences, and lawsuits, and the PA can also introduce bills or co-sponsor them with City Council members.
Queens Borough President
Borough presidents allocate funding to local initiatives, groups, and projects; introduce bills in the City Council; weigh in on land use proposals and development projects; and appointment all members of community boards.
