NYC General Election 2020: Dan Quart Seeks Re-Election

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Voters in New York's 73rd Assembly District, which includes much of the Upper East Side, Midtown East and Murray Hill, will see two names on their ballots for assemblymember when they vote in the Nov. 3 General Election.

One of those names will be Dan Quart, the incumbent Democrat who has represented the district since 2011. His opponent is Republican Judith Graham. Another, more turbulent assembly race is taking place in the neighboring 76th District, which includes the eastern side of the neighborhood as well as Roosevelt Island.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Quart's responses are below, while Graham has not returned the questionnaire.

All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic. For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.

Dan Quart

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

48

NYC neighborhood of residence

Yorkville

Position Sought

State Assembly

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Miriam, wife; Sam, son, 13; Gabby, daughter, 8

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA, SUNY Binghamton; JD, St. John's University

Occupation

Attorney in private practice since 1998

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Assemblymember

Campaign website

danquart.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Representing my community in the NYS Assembly has been the honor of my life. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need an experienced leader who gets things done.
Throughout this crisis, I have worked tirelessly to ensure my constituents have everything they need. I have helped dozens of East Siders secure their unemployment claims after the Department of Labor failed them, I have helped organize free rides for seniors in need, distributed face masks and hand sanitizer in the district, and worked with small businesses to ensure they can access city, state, and federal funding.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Without a doubt, the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives forever. The next several months will be crucial to ensuring that New York bounces back stronger than before. With a potential second wave on the horizon, we have to make sure we are prepared for that reality. That means ensuring hospitals in our community have the funding and the PPP they need. Our small businesses on the Upper East Side and Midtown East have suffered greatly. Small mom and pop shops bring so much character to our neighborhood and are an important fixture in our community. Whether it's fighting for additional federal funding, expanding existing state and city programs, or providing tax abatements, we must take care of our small businesses.
I am also pushing for public hearings into the failure of our state's unemployment system after hundreds of constituents reported problems filing their claim. While we worked with the Department of Labor and the Governor's Office to address structural problems with the claims process, we helped dozens of people receive payment. While we were happy to help, it's clear this was an unnecessarily difficult process and it shouldn't be that way.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

The national, state and local responses have all been woefully inadequate. We need mask mandates at every level and we need to be focusing on protecting essential workers, finding a workable solution to educate our students while keeping them and their teachers safe.

How would you address the concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement, and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Protest is an essential form of political speech and I've been proud to join protests in Manhattan demanding justice and an end to the overpricing of Black communities.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only Democrat in this race. I am the only pro-choice candidate in this race and I have worked for years to protect reproductive rights, which is why I was endorsed by Planned Parenthood.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be generous with the faults of others, as you hope they are with yours.