Queens BP ballot begins to take shape as petition deadline passes

Seven candidates are running in a special election for Queens borough president. Image via The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society.

By David Brand

Candidates for Queens borough president on Tuesday cleared the first major hurdle on the road to the March 24 special election, submitting the signatures necessary to appear on the ballot in the abbreviated race.

The petitioning deadline passed at 11:59 p.m. last night. Candidates had to submit 2,000 signatures from registered Queens voters in order to make the ballot. As a general rule, campaign teams try to obtain at least three times the required amount because many signatures end up disallowed.

Each of the three councilmembers running for Queens borough president, Costa Constantinides, Donovan Richards and Jimmy Van Bramer, filed the necessary signatures well ahead of the deadline. So did former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley and former cop Anthony Miranda, a police reform organizer. 

Ex-Queens prosecutor James Quinn, who announced his candidacy earlier this month, submitted 7,809 signatures, his election attorney Martin Connor said.

Though Connor is a former state senator, he declined to handicap the race, referring to himself as “a recovering politician.” 

Danniel Sun Maio, the only registered Republican in the race, did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.