Politics & Government

Here's Where Harlem Has Spent Money In The 2021 City Elections

A new interactive map shows who Harlem residents are supporting in the race for mayor, and where the most money is being spent.

A new map gives a nearly block-by-block picture of Harlem residents' campaign contributions for the 2021 city elections.
A new map gives a nearly block-by-block picture of Harlem residents' campaign contributions for the 2021 city elections. (NYC Campaign Finance Board)

HARLEM, NY — With just under four months to go before the city primary elections in June, a new map shows where New Yorkers are donating money — and Harlem residents have already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on their preferred candidates.

The interactive map, released last week by the city's Campaign Finance Board and the Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center, shows contributions for all of this year's races, including mayor, comptroller, city council and borough president.

While Harlem residents have not spent as heavily as people in the neighboring Upper East and Upper West sides, the neighborhood has still doled out significant sums. Broken down by ZIP code, Harlem's highest-spending area has been 10027, covering Central Harlem and part of Morningside Heights, where residents have contributed nearly $139,000.

Find out what's happening in Harlemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Here are more insights from the maps, which show money raised through Jan. 15:

Striver's Row spends heavily

The data can be broken down even further, including by election district, which shows a nearly block-level view of Harlemites' spending. Striver's Row, the picturesque, brownstone-lined area along West 138th and 139th streets, emerges as one of Central Harlem's highest-spending election districts — residents of those blocks have contributed upwards of $20,000.

Find out what's happening in Harlemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Meanwhile, the highest-spending district in all of Harlem is a two-block stretch along Fifth Avenue between East 96th and 97th streets — an area that falls within the bounds of East Harlem, though some may consider it part of the Upper East Side.

Striver's Row (center, dark green) has been among Central Harlem's most high-spending areas for the 2021 elections. (NYC Campaign Finance Board))

McGuire dominates money race for mayor

Broken down by candidate, the map shows which contenders for the mayor's office are enjoying Harlem's support.

The neighborhood's strongest fundraiser by far has been Ray McGuire, the Wall Street-backed former finance executive who has received upwards of $85,000 from Harlem residents.

Eric Adams, the borough president of Brooklyn, ranks a distant second at around $29,000.

Ray McGuire's pockets of support include parts of Central Harlem and East Harlem along Fifth Avenue. (NYC Campaign Finance Board)

Jordan leads in Central Harlem council race

The competitive race to replace Bill Perkins in Central Harlem's District 9 has drawn more than a dozen candidates. None has raised more money, however, than Kristin Richardson Jordan, an author, poet and activist.

Jordan has raised more than $55,000, of which nearly $18,000 has come from within the district, the map shows.

Kristin Richardson Jordan has raised the most money in the District 9 City Council race. (NYC Campaign Finance Board)

Explore the interactive campaign finance map here.

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