Manhattan is a weird place for politics. It's a land where the "ceremonial" jobs actually carry massive weight over what your neighborhood looks like and whether that new skyscraper gets built. Since we’re sitting in January 2026, the dust has finally settled on one of the most watched races in the city. If you’ve been asking who is running for Manhattan Borough President, you probably noticed the ballot was a bit of a revolving door for a minute there.
The short answer? The race is over, and Brad Hoylman-Sigal is the man in the chair. But how he got there—and who he had to beat to grab the keys to the office at 1 Centre Street—is a story of musical chairs and some seriously heavy-hitting New York political egos.
The Man Who Won: Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Basically, Brad Hoylman-Sigal is the new Manhattan Borough President as of January 1, 2026. He didn't just stumble into it. This was a "second time's the charm" situation. Back in 2021, he ran and lost a tight one to Mark Levine. He went back to the State Senate, kept his head down, chaired the Judiciary Committee, and waited for his opening.
When Mark Levine decided to vacate the seat to run for City Comptroller (which he won, by the way), the floodgates opened. Hoylman-Sigal jumped in early and basically sucked the air out of the room. He ran on a platform that sounded like a "greatest hits" of Manhattan liberal priorities:
- Protecting rent-regulated tenants.
- Adding mental health professionals to the subways.
- Pushing for 100% affordable housing on public land.
He ended up winning the general election in November 2025 with about 80% of the vote. You've gotta remember, in Manhattan, the Republican line is usually just a formality. The real fight happens in the June primary.
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The Primary Fight: Who Else Was in the Mix?
Honestly, the Democratic primary in June 2025 was the real election. It wasn't a crowded field like the 2021 race, but it was a heavy one.
Keith Powers was the big challenger. He was the Majority Leader of the City Council and represents the East Side and Midtown. Powers is a StuyTown guy through and through. He had a lot of support from the more "establishment" side of the party and labor unions. He and Hoylman-Sigal are actually pretty similar on policy, so the race became more about vibe and experience. Powers finished with about 45% of the vote after the ranked-choice tallies were finalized.
Then there was Dr. Calvin Sun. He was the wild card. An emergency room physician who became a bit of a public figure during the COVID-19 pandemic. He wrote a memoir called The Monsoon Diaries. He didn't have the political machine behind him like the other two, but he pulled about 12% in the first round. People liked his "outsider" perspective on public health, but in Manhattan, the machine usually wins.
The "Also-Rans" of the General Election
Once Hoylman-Sigal secured the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, the general election was mostly a victory lap. But for the sake of factual accuracy, he did have opponents on the November ballot:
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- Seson Adams (Republican): He grabbed about 17% of the vote. In a borough where Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly 8-to-1, that’s actually not a terrible showing for a GOP candidate, but it was never going to be a real threat.
- Rolando Gomez (Unity Party): He hovered around 2% of the total vote.
Why This Race Mattered So Much
You might think the Borough President (BP) just cuts ribbons and hosts jazz festivals. Kinda, but not really. The BP has a massive "say" in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
When a developer wants to change zoning to build a massive tower or a casino (which has been the talk of the town lately), the BP's recommendation is the first big hurdle. They also appoint all the members of the 12 Community Boards in Manhattan. If you've ever been to a spicy Community Board meeting about a bike lane or a new bar, you know how much power those people have over your daily life.
Hoylman-Sigal took over from Mark Levine, who moved on to the Comptroller's office. Levine’s tenure was defined by his "Data Dashboard" approach—using stats to track everything from COVID rates to monkeypox. Hoylman-Sigal seems to be leaning more into his legislative roots, focusing on the nitty-gritty of tenant law and civil rights.
What This Means For You Now
If you live in Manhattan, the person in this office is your primary advocate to the Mayor. Since we’re now in 2026, the office is already spinning up new initiatives. If you’re looking to get involved or have a grievance about a local development, here is how you deal with the current administration:
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- Community Board Applications: These usually open up in the winter. If you want a seat at the table, keep an eye on the BP's website in February.
- Capital Funding: The BP has a multimillion-dollar budget to give to local schools, parks, and non-profits. If you run a local group, the application window for the next fiscal year is likely closing soon.
- Land Use: Watch the BP's calendar for "Public Hearings." This is where you get your three minutes at the microphone to tell the city why that new development is a great idea or a total disaster.
The era of who is running for Manhattan Borough President is over for now, and the era of who is governing has begun. Brad Hoylman-Sigal is slated to be in this role until at least 2029, unless he decides to follow his predecessor’s lead and jump for a citywide seat before then.
If you want to track how he’s doing on those subway safety promises, your best bet is to check the official Borough President's office reports or attend a town hall in your specific district. Manhattan is a big borough, but in this office, local politics is the only thing that actually moves the needle.
To keep tabs on the new administration, you should sign up for the Manhattan Borough President's newsletter or follow their official social media handles, as that's where they announce the upcoming Community Board appointment cycles and public land-use hearings.