If you’ve lived in New York for more than a week, you know the Mayor. You probably know the Governor. But mention the NYC public advocate election to the average person waiting for the L train, and you’ll likely get a blank stare or a question about whether that’s the person who handles parking tickets.
It’s the weirdest job in city government. Honestly, it’s basically a professional "complainer-in-chief" role, but with a $184,800 salary and a direct line of succession to the mayoralty. If the Mayor goes down, the Public Advocate steps in. That’s not just a "what-if" scenario; it’s the legal reality of the City Charter.
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Why the NYC Public Advocate Election Actually Matters
Most people think this office is just a "waiting room" for people who want to be Mayor later. They aren't entirely wrong. Bill de Blasio did it. Tish James used it as a springboard to become State Attorney General. But the actual function of the office is to be a watchdog.
The Public Advocate doesn't have a vote in the City Council. They can’t force an agency to change a policy with the stroke of a pen. What they can do is investigate. They can subpoena records. They can sue the city—though the courts are still kinda debating how much legal "standing" they really have.
Think of the Public Advocate as the city’s ombudsman. When the MTA is failing (even though that’s technically state-run, the Advocate still chirps about it) or when NYCHA residents are freezing in the winter, the Public Advocate is the one who is supposed to be making life miserable for the bureaucrats until things get fixed.
The 2025-2026 Landscape
As we move through the current cycle, the incumbent, Jumaane Williams, remains the dominant force. Williams, a former Council Member from Brooklyn, has held the seat since a special election in 2019. He’s built a brand on being the "activist" advocate, often seen at protests or getting arrested for civil disobedience.
But he isn't alone. In the most recent primary, names like Jenifer Rajkumar and Marty Dolan surfaced as challengers. Rajkumar, an Assemblymember from Queens, has been particularly visible, often appearing alongside Mayor Eric Adams, which creates a fascinating tension. Since the Public Advocate is supposed to be a check on the Mayor, having a candidate who is closely aligned with the Mayor raises some eyebrows among political junkies.
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How the Election Works (It’s Not Just One Vote)
New York City uses Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for its primaries. This changes the math for the NYC public advocate election significantly. You don’t just pick your favorite; you rank up to five.
- The First Round: Only first-choice votes are counted.
- The Elimination: If nobody gets over 50%, the person in last place is booted.
- The Redistribution: If your top pick was the one who got booted, your vote moves to your second choice.
- Repeat: This keeps going until someone hits that 50% mark.
This system encourages candidates to be "everyone's second choice," which—in theory—reduces the nastiness of the campaign. In reality, it just makes the math more complicated for the consultants.
The Power of the Bully Pulpit
The office has a relatively tiny budget compared to the billions the Mayor oversees. We’re talking about roughly $5 million a year. That has to cover staff, investigators, and community outreach for 8 million people. It's a David vs. Goliath situation.
However, the Advocate chairs the Commission on Public Information and Communication (COPIC). They also sit on the board of the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS). That means they have a say in where billions of dollars in pension funds are invested. That’s real power. It’s not just about shouting into a megaphone on the steps of City Hall.
The "Worst Landlord" List
One of the most famous tools used by the office is the "Worst Landlord Watchlist." It was started by de Blasio and kept alive by James and Williams. It’s a public shaming tool. By pulling data on building violations, the Public Advocate can point a finger at the most negligent property owners in the five boroughs.
Does it fix every building? No. But it gives tenants a weapon. It provides the media with a narrative. In NYC, a narrative is sometimes more effective than a law.
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What People Get Wrong About the Job
There’s a huge misconception that the Public Advocate can "fix" your specific problem, like a super-powered 311 operator.
If your neighbor is playing loud music at 3 AM, the Public Advocate isn't coming to your door. Their job is to look at why the police or the DEP aren't responding to noise complaints across the whole city. They look for systemic failure. They are the "macro" fixers, not the "micro" ones.
Another thing: the relationship between the Mayor and the Advocate is historically... let’s say "frosty." Because the Advocate is effectively the Mayor-in-waiting, there is a built-in rivalry. When Mark Green was the first Public Advocate, he and Rudy Giuliani were constantly at each other's throats. That tension is actually what the creators of the office intended. It’s a feature, not a bug.
Actionable Insights for New York Voters
If you're looking at the NYC public advocate election and trying to decide where to put your support, don't just look at the speeches. Look at the data.
- Check the Campaign Finance Board (CFB): NYC has a matching funds program. For every $1 a resident contributes (up to a certain limit), the city matches it with $8. This is a great way to see if a candidate is backed by "the people" or by big-money lobbyists.
- Review the Legislative Record: If the candidate is an incumbent or a former Council Member, look at what bills they actually introduced. Did they pass? Or were they just "performative" bills designed for a press release?
- Attend a "Participatory Budgeting" Meeting: These are often where the Public Advocate's staff hangs out. It's the best place to see if they are actually listening to neighborhood concerns or just looking for a photo op.
The next time the election rolls around, remember that this isn't just a "backup mayor" position. It’s the only person in the city whose entire job description is to make sure the government isn't ignoring you. That's worth a few minutes of your time at the ballot box.
To stay informed, you should regularly check the NYC Campaign Finance Board’s "Follow the Money" portal to see which candidates are gaining momentum through small-dollar donations, as this is often the best predictor of success in a crowded primary. Additionally, sign up for the The City's "Civic Newsroom" newsletter; they provide some of the best non-partisan breakdowns of candidate platforms as the election dates approach.