NYC Campaign Finance Board Approves $18.7M in Public Funds Payments to 2021 Candidates
02/16/2021
The NYC Campaign Finance Board (CFB) approved $18,660,290 in public matching funds payments to 124 candidates in the largest public funds payment thus far in the 2021 New York City election cycle.
Two candidates for mayor, three candidates for comptroller, 12 for borough president, and 107 candidates for City Council received public funds in today's payment.
CFB Spokesperson Matt Sollars provided the following statement on today's payment:
"The Board announced that 124 candidates qualified to receive a public funds payment today. To be eligible for payment, each candidate demonstrated support from within their community by meeting a two-part fundraising threshold based on small contributions from city residents.
CFB staff reviews documentation submitted by all campaigns to verify the contributions reported in the disclosure filings. For today’s payments, the reviews included filings due on January 15, 2021, as well as amendments to previous disclosures.
These audit reviews can result in a campaign falling below the threshold to qualify for public funds payments. However, all campaigns can provide additional documentation – to clarify a contributor’s address or employer information, for instance – to validate that a contribution is eligible to be matched with public funds. Additional documentation provided by campaigns may be considered for the public funds payment scheduled for March 15 or for subsequent payments throughout the election year."
The CFB has paid a total of $37,778,768 to candidates in the 2021 elections thus far in the election cycle, including previous payments in December and January.
To date, 147 candidates for city office have received public funds payments: two mayoral candidates, three comptroller candidates, twelve borough president candidates, and 130 City Council candidates. Of those, 111 candidates have received public funds payments for the first time ever, a clear sign that the program is drawing more New Yorkers into running for office.
To qualify for public funds, candidates must demonstrate support from within their communities by raising small contributions within the city. This encourages candidates to spend more time speaking to voters and less time fundraising. The exact thresholds that candidates must meet to qualify for public funds differs between offices.
2021 MAYORAL CANDIDATES
|
Candidate |
Office |
Payment on February 16, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
|
Mayor |
$788,443 |
|
|
Mayor |
$1,176,714 |
|
|
All Candidates (2) |
Mayor |
$1,965,157 |
2021 COMPTROLLER CANDIDATES
| Candidate | Office | Payment on February 16, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin, Brian | Comptroller | $329,188 |
| Iscol, Zachary | Comptroller | $1,401,582 |
| Lander, Brad | Comptroller | $518,012 |
| All Candidates (3) | Comptroller | $2,248,782 |
2021 BOROUGH PRESIDENCY CANDIDATES
| Candidate | Borough | Payment on February 16, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Cornegy, Jr., Robert E | Brooklyn | $576,507 |
| Edwards, Khari | Brooklyn | $491,182 |
| Reynoso, Antonio | Brooklyn | $462,880 |
| Simon, Jo Anne | Brooklyn | $481,224 |
| Cabrera, Fernando | Bronx | $520,047 |
| Gibson, Vanessa L | Bronx | $249,113 |
| Boylan, Lindsey C | Manhattan | $259,783 |
| Caputo, Elizabeth R | Manhattan | $303,358 |
| Kallos, Benjamin J | Manhattan | $393,794 |
| Levine, Mark D | Manhattan | $1,116,087 |
| Van Bramer, James | Queens | $10,398 |
| Matteo, Steven | Staten Island | $77,164 |
| All Candidates (12) | All Boroughs (5) | $4,941,537 |
2021 CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
| Candidate | City Council District | Payment on February 16, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Lee, Susan T | District 1 | $81,442 |
| Boghosian Murphy, Leslie | District 3 | $78,105 |
| Freeland, Billy | District 5 | $21,690 |
| Lamorte, Rebecca | District 5 | $50,308 |
| Menin, Julie | District 5 | $160,444* |
| Shimamura, Tricia | District 5 | $51,368 |
| Sosa, Christopher A | District 5 | $64,060 |
| Gold, David | District 6 | $55,586 |
| Lind, Sara K | District 6 | $40,265 |
| Omura, Jeffrey | District 6 | $160,444* |
| Lynch, Stacy R | District 7 | $104,295 |
| Ordonez, Maria | District 7 | $57,897 |
| Ortega, Corey | District 7 | $130,344 |
| Tejada, Luis M | District 7 | $148,732 |
| Ayala, Diana | District 8 | $35,690 |
| Clennon, Joshua A | District 9 | $72,945 |
| Council, William K | District 9 | $51,756 |
| Fernandez, Angela | District 10 | $52,463 |
| Perez, Josue G | District 10 | $24,268 |
| Velazquez, Marjorie | District 13 | $159,494 |
| Abreu, Adolfo | District 14 | $160,444* |
| Aquino, Fernando A | District 14 | $124,436 |
| Solano, Socrates S | District 14 | $45,615 |
| Tapia, Yudelka | District 14 | $84,710 |
| Diallo, Abdourahamane | District 16 | $160,444* |
| Diallo, Ahmadou | District 16 | $123,552 |
| Stevens, Althea | District 16 | $48,252 |
| Mujumder, Mohammed N | District 18 | $160,254 |
| Avella, Tony | District 19 | $73,743 |
| Lee, Richard | District 19 | $4,796 |
| Paladino, Vickie | District 19 | $98,428 |
| Chen, Hailing | District 20 | $88,342 |
| Choe, John | District 20 | $160,444* |
| Ung, Sandra | District 20 | $17,830 |
| Yin, Dao | District 20 | $76,441 |
| Bullaro, Leonardo | District 22 | $44,361 |
| Caban, Tiffany | District 22 | $160,206 |
| Velkov, Nicholas B | District 22 | $39,376 |
| Jindal, Sanjeev | District 23 | $44,308 |
| Lee, Linda | District 23 | $160,444* |
| Markell, Debra | District 23 | $122,641 |
| Toor, Harpreet S | District 23 | $110,428 |
| Baryab, Fatima | District 25 | $158,931 |
| Krishnan, Shekar | District 25 | $66,698 |
| Quiroz, Alfonso | District 25 | $69,107 |
| Tran, Carolyn T | District 25 | $82,038 |
| Bagga, Amit S | District 26 | $160,444* |
| Bailey, Jonathan | District 26 | $50,996 |
| Forman, Julia L | District 26 | $79,937 |
| Gomez, Glennis E | District 26 | $41,200 |
| Laymon, Jesse D | District 26 | $74,928 |
| O'Leary, Brent M | District 26 | $33,098 |
| Sharpe, Emily | District 26 | $42,393 |
| Young, Ebony R | District 26 | $67,697 |
| Adam-Ovide, Marie M | District 27 | $103,740 |
| Clark, Jason | District 27 | $160,444* |
| Hill, Rene | District 27 | $74,427 |
| Johnson, James J | District 27 | $160,444* |
| Williams, Nantasha M | District 27 | $160,182 |
| Aronov, David | District 29 | $160,444* |
| Gagarin, Aleda F | District 29 | $156,606 |
| Ardila, Juan D | District 30 | $86,214 |
| Holden, Robert F | District 30 | $160,444* |
| Alamarie, Kaled | District 32 | $160,444* |
| Scala, Michael G | District 32 | $71,638 |
| Singh, Felicia | District 32 | $66,090 |
| Wilson, Kenichi | District 32 | $77,725 |
| Cambranes, Victoria | District 33 | $29,237 |
| Potosky, Toba | District 33 | $160,444* |
| Sherman, Stuart C | District 33 | $40,242 |
| Solotaire, Benjamin | District 33 | $25,855 |
| Somboun, April | District 33 | $61,043 |
| Harris, Curtis M | District 35 | $59,424 |
| Hollingsworth, Michael D | District 35 | $160,442 |
| Butler, Henry L | District 36 | $160,444* |
| Moore, Tahirah A | District 36 | $149,264 |
| Abdin, Misba | District 37 | $160,444* |
| Diaz, Darma V | District 37 | $141,102 |
| Nurse, Sandy | District 37 | $159,627 |
| Aviles, Alexa | District 38 | $53,694 |
| Lin, Yu | District 38 | $73,720 |
| Painter, Jacqueline | District 38 | $38,213 |
| Krebs, Justin M | District 39 | $5,974 |
| Schneider, Douglas | District 39 | $160,444* |
| West, Brandon | District 39 | $42,940 |
| Joseph, Rita C | District 40 | $14,486 |
| Morris, Blake | District 40 | $23,408 |
| Pierre, Josue | District 40 | $45,108 |
| Lucas, Nikki | District 42 | $34,162 |
| Louis, Farah N | District 45 | $158,686 |
| Brazela, Gardy | District 46 | $2,326 |
| Cranston, Donald J | District 46 | $155,306 |
| Narcisse, Mercedes | District 46 | $24,841 |
| Willabus, R. Dimple | District 46 | $54,291 |
| Brook Krasny, Alec | District 47 | $145,996 |
| Patzer, Steven D | District 47 | $53,132 |
| Markh, Mariya | District 48 | $66,591 |
| Noble, Boris | District 48 | $58,047 |
| Grey, Selina | District 49 | $65,959 |
| Hanks, Kamillah M | District 49 | $63,888 |
| Ogunleye, Ranti | District 49 | $84,577 |
| Schnall, Michael P | District 49 | $63,551 |
| Albanese, Sal F | District 50 | $125,514 |
| Carr, David M | District 50 | $131,214 |
| Pirozzolo, Sam T | District 50 | $83,980 |
| Wonica, George S | District 50 | $46,246 |
| Drabczyk, Olivia J | District 51 | $83,600 |
| All Candidates (107) | All Districts (37) | $9,504,814 |
Candidates in the 2021 New York City elections filed their most recent disclosure reports with the CFB on January 15, 2021. The payments listed above are based on campaign financial data provided by this deadline.
The next opportunity for candidates to receive public funds is March 15, 2021. The next disclosure reports are also due on March 15. There will be a public funds payment in April based on the disclosures filed on March 15. There are eight public funds payments scheduled ahead of the primary elections on June 22.
HOW THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROGRAM WORKS
The CFB provides matching funds out of the city's General Fund to qualifying candidates at a rate of $8 for every $1 received from New York City residents, up to the first $175 for donations to City Council and Borough President candidates, and up to $250 for donations to citywide candidates, for a maximum payment-per-resident of $1,400 or $2,000, respectively.
To qualify for matching funds, candidates must demonstrate support from within their communities by meeting a two-part fundraising threshold and abide by the other requirements set in the Campaign Finance Act. For instance, to qualify for public funding in City Council races, candidates must raise at least $5,000 from city residents. Only the first $175 contributed per city resident counts towards meeting the threshold. Additionally, City Council candidates must receive at least 75 contributions from residents of the district where they are running. Candidates also must comply with all program rules, including individual contribution limits and a prohibition on collecting contributions from corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships.
The matching rate increased to $8-to-$1 in November 2018 when it was adopted by voters along with other improvements to the matching funds program. For 2021, candidates may choose to participate in the previous program, which provides public funds at a $6-to-$1 matching rate. However, 98 percent of 2021 candidates participating in the program are choosing to abide by the new rules.
CANDIDATE SERVICES
The CFB's Candidate Services staff offers candidates extensive support by providing access to trainings, resources, and one-on-one guidance to help campaigns navigate their disclosure requirements and compliance obligations. For the 2021 elections, the agency published a detailed guidance document with the payment schedule, requirements, and applicable deadlines for candidates to follow.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
More information about the candidates' campaign finance data is available on the CFB website in the Campaign Finance Summary portal. Individual contributions, campaign spending, intermediaries, and independent PAC expenditures are available in the CFB's Follow the Money database.