Queens voters will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of New York City government as all 51 City Council seats are up for grabs in the 2025 election cycle. With several incumbents term-limited and new challengers stepping into the spotlight, the borough is home to some of the city’s most closely watched and competitive races.
Candidates are vying to represent a borough that continues to grow in population and diversity, bringing new urgency to local issues like housing, public safety, transit, and education.
The primary election will be held on June 24, followed by the general election on November 4. Ranked-choice voting will once again be used in the primaries, giving voters the opportunity to rank up to five candidates in each race.
In Northwestern Queens, a packed field of Democrats has lined up to replace the term-limited Francisco Moya.
The 2025 City Council election in District 21 is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested primaries in the city. Four candidates from a variety of backgrounds are running to replace Moya.
The field was previously even more congested before the Board of Elections removed Sandro Navarro and Hiram Monserrate from the ballot for different reasons, although Monserrate has indicated that he will appeal the decision.
Erycka Montoya: Adrienne Adams staffer vowing to protect migrants and expand affordable housing.
A staffer for Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Erycka Montoya has touted her “lived experience” in District 21 as one of the key drivers of her campaign.
Montoya is is campaigning on a slate of priorities for the district, including improved access to affordable housing and transit and increased investments in education.
Montoya, who grew up in a mixed-status household as the daughter of immigrant parents, also said it is critical to safeguard the District 21 community amid fears of deportations during the second Trump Administration. She has vowed to ensure that immigrant know their rights regarding ICE and deportations and has said she will fight to maintain New York’s sanctuary city status.
Shanel Thomas Henry: CB3 member focused on fair and accessible housing and expanded public education.
Thomas Henry, who served as a CB3 member and public information liaison for the $8 billion LaGuardia Redevelopment Program among other positions, has outlined five key pillars for her election campaign, focusing on improving public safety through “smart” investments such as community policing as well as providing a “fair and accessible” housing system for Queens residents.
She has also pledged to foster economic development by building pathways to careers and investing in workplace development among other initiatives, while she also vowed to fight for improved funding for education and public transport in the district.
Yanna Henriquez: District leader and non-profit worker “standing up” for immigrant families.
A district leader for the Queens County Democratic Party and chief program officer at Dominico-American Society of Queens, Yanna Henriquez has pointed to a life spent serving the most vulnerable members of the Queens community.
Henriquez has touted her work expanding education, job training and legal assistance programs for low-income and immigrant families while serving as program officer at the Dominoco-American Society of Queens. She also pointed to her efforts to improve voter registration and fight for immigration reform, healthcare access and civil rights.
She has outlined her commitment to building a more “equitable” and prosperous future for District 21 residents.
David Aiken, union member who unsuccessfully challenged Moya in 2021
David Aiken has kept a low profile in the 2025 Council elections, but the self-identified electrician, union member and lifelong Queens resident has previous form in District 21 elections.
Aiken unsuccessfully challenged Moya in 2021, picking up 16.3% of the vote to finish third in the Democratic primary. Aiken, who does not have an active campaign website or social media account, campaigned in 2021 on a platform promoting “true affordable housing”, social services for immigrants and seniors, and “public transportation that serves the people.”
Hiram Monserrate: Controversial ex-Council Member campaigning on crime and social issues. *Removed from ballot, actively appealing decision*
Hiram Monserrate previously represented District 21 from 2002 until 2008, when he won election to the State Senate, representing District 13.
Monserrate was booted from the Senate in 2010 after being charged with assault and later served two years in prison on corruption charges. He has attempted to make several political comebacks over the past decade, regularly running for Assembly District 35 and Council District 21.
Monserrate has been a vocal opponent of crime along Roosevelt Avenue over the past two years, regularly holding rallies and press conferences to highlight a range of social issues in the area.
He has called for increased police presence in the neighborhood and has called on the FBI to intervene and arrest criminal gang members operating within the district. Monserrate has also staged a number of protests outside alleged brothels in the area over the past 12 months.
He is campaigning primarily on public safety and argues that he knows how to “keep our communities safe.”
Monserrate was removed from the ballot on Monday after the BOE ruled in favor of a petition from his opponents Yanna Henriquez and Shanel Thomas-Henry arguing that his petitions were invalid because of a City Council law preventing candidates from running if they had certain felony convictions.
Monserrate, however, secured a major win in 2023 when Manhattan Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Machelle Sweeting ruled that the law did not apply to Monserrate because it was not written in a way that specifically applied to previous convictions that took place before the law was passed.
Monserrate said in a statement that he expected the ruling but said he expects the law preventing him from running to be thrown out.
District Demographics and Political Landscape:
District 21 is one of the most immigrant-dense communities in the entire city, boasting one of the largest Latino communities in New York City. According to Census data, 75% of District 21 residents are Hispanic, compared to just 5% of residents who are white. A total of 13% of residents in District 21 are Asian, while 6% are black.
District 21 incorporates parts of East Elmhurst, LeFrak City, Jackson Heights and Corona.
The district is undergoing significant change and facing significant challenges, with New York City’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium currently under construction at Willets Point. Metropolitan Park, a planned casino development put forward by Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International, is also vying to become one of the three recipients of down-state casino licenses.
Meanwhile, skyrocketing crime along Roosevelt Avenue has gained citywide notoriety in recent months, while the district’s immigrant-dense population has come under the microscope since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
The upcoming primary, therefore, will play a key role in shaping the outlook of the district for the foreseeable future.
