Harlem City Council Election Results: Levine, Ayala, Perkins Win

HARLEM, NY — Three Democrats will represent Harlem in the New York City Council for the next four years.

Mark Levine, Diana Ayala and Bill Perkins will represent the seventh, eighth and ninth City Council districts, according to unofficial election night results from the city board of elections. All three races were called within two hours of polls closing Tuesday night.

Incumbent Mark Levine successfully defended his seat in the seventh City Council district, defeating Green Party candidate Florindo Troncelliti. Mark Levine will represent much of West Harlem and parts of the Upper West Side and Washington Heights. Levine won nearly 95 percent of the vote Tuesday, according to the city board of elections.

Democrat Diana Ayala has been declared the winner of the eighth City Council district. Ayala will assume the seat vacated by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito after serving as the speaker's political aide. The district spans much of East Harlem and the South Bronx. Ayala won the general election comfortably, capturing 91 percent of the vote, after a closely-contested Democratic primary.

Longtime Harlem political figure Bill Perkins will represent the ninth City Council District, which spans much of Central Harlem. Perkins won the seat in a special election after the 2016 elections and defended it shortly after in September's Democratic primary. Perkins captures about 78 percent of the vote Tuesday, according to city results.

Mayor Bill de Blasio easily defeated his little-known challengers to earn a second term Tuesday night, capping a sleepy campaign season with an easy win. NY1 declared victory for the Democratic incumbent at 9:26 p.m., less than a half hour after the polls closed.

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