NEW YORK, NY— In the 12th State Senate District Democratic primary, Aber Kawas leads the race with 58.33 percent of the vote, according to the NY State Board of Elections, as results show a solid advantage over Steven B. Raga, who holds 38.23 percent.
Kawas received 12,460 votes across all reporting districts in Queens, the primary geographic base of the race.
Raga received 8,166 votes.
Write-in votes accounted for 0.38 percent, blank ballots totaled 2.96 percent, and void ballots made up 0.09 percent of the 21,360 total votes cast.
Election officials reported all 150 of 150 districts fully reporting, indicating a complete tabulation of the contest.
Kawas maintained a consistent lead across Queens precincts, holding a margin of more than 20 percentage points in the final tally.
Queens
Brooklyn (small overlapping portion)
New York’s 12th State Senate District spans western Queens with a small overlap into Brooklyn, covering dense, multicultural neighborhoods with strong immigrant communities.
The district includes large Latino, South Asian, and Eastern European populations, alongside long-established working-class households.
Housing is primarily multi-family apartment buildings with increasing pressure from rising rents and redevelopment.
State Senate elections in the district often hinge on primary turnout, with Democratic contests frequently determining the eventual officeholder due to strong party registration advantages.
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