City Council candidate Ty Hankerson is leading the Democratic Primary after the first round of voting was counted.
Hankerson gained momentum against four other competitors—Romeo Hitlall, Latoya LeGrand, Japneet Singh, and former Council Member Ruben Wills—in the primary on Tuesday, June 24, securing a first-place lead, receiving 4,316 votes, or 34.8% of the vote.
He was followed by Japneet Singh, who garnered 3,069 votes (24.75%), and Latoya L. LeGrand, who received 2,086 votes (16.83%). Former Council Member Ruben W. Wills earned 1,745 votes (14.07%), and community board member Romeo Hitlall trailed with 1,127 votes (9.09%). A total of 12,398 ballots were cast in the first round, with 55 write-in votes.
The race is one of the most competitive in Queens this year, with five Democratic candidates vying to succeed Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is term-limited after serving two terms and becoming the first Black woman to lead the City Council. Adams has represented the district since 2017 and ran in the mayoral primary.
Given the district’s overwhelming Democratic enrollment, the primary winner is strongly favored to win in November’s general election.
Since this election is ranked choice, a winner is to be selected with 51% of the vote. According to the NYCLU, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, then the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated in rounds of counting until two candidates are left. Finally, the candidate with the most votes is the winner. Unofficial primary results won’t be released by the city’s Board of Elections until July 1, and the results will be officially certified on July 14.
The Democratic candidates were competing to represent a district that includes the diverse neighborhoods of Richmond Hill, Jamaica, South Ozone Park, and Rochdale Village.
Hankerson has campaigned on experience and continuity, emphasizing his role in shaping city budgets and securing investments under Adams’ leadership. Singh, a South Asian civic leader and former City Council candidate, appealed to younger voters and immigrant communities, running a campaign focused on public safety and small business support. LeGrand, an aide to Assembly Member Vivian Cook and a member of Community Board 12, presented herself as a grassroots advocate with deep ties to housing and education issues.
During his Tuesday evening election watch party at Chew The Fat, located at 146-14 Rockaway Blvd, Hankerson told QNS that he was feeling optimistic.
“We are very optimistic, I feel confident, I think we have a nice lead right now. Obviously, we are in a ranked-choice voting situation, and that is going to kick in. But I believe that the voters have spoken, and at the end of the day, we will be successful,” Hankerson said.
Hankerson said that his ongoing success in the primary is just the beginning of his vision for Southeast Queens. “Thank you very, very much for believing in our mission and our vision. This is just the beginning. The work that we’ve been able to do in the district goes back to when I was 13 years old, starting out in the NYPD Explorers Program, and now here we are some 15 odd years later running for city council,” Hankerson said. “ I believe that for everyone who has been supportive of us, their support hasn’t been in vain.”
Hankerson considers his success in the primary a baton pass from Speaker Adrienne Adams. He has served as Adams’s district chief of staff for the past year and has worked for her office for over seven years.
“She gave me an opportunity seven and a half years ago to be her scheduler, and from scheduler, I’ve been able to rise and become chief of staff about a year and a half ago. That is because she saw something in me, and I am forever grateful for that,” he said. “If I am to be the next council member, which I believe I will be, I am indebted to her for her tutelage and mentorship.”
At 30 years old, Hankerson would be the youngest council member elected for District 28 and the second youngest council member in the current city council if he’s elected this November.
Hankerson’s message to young voters was “It’s our time.”
“I believe that New York City is ready for a wave of young leadership, but this is nothing new. We’ve seen this decades ago, whether it was the civil rights movement, we had Dr. King who was 27 years old, we have seen this happen before,” Hankerson said.
He added that young leadership is needed to face the Trump administration. “ I am confident that what is to come in New York City will be great, especially as we face the era of Trump, it’s going to take all of us. Our energy, along with the wisdom of those who have come before us, I believe we will be triumphant,” he said.
Hankerson has years of experience in local politics under his belt.
Hankerson’s platform is focused on public safety, economic development, and quality of life issues. Under his slogan of “One District 28,” Hankerson advocates for being a council member who serves all residents of Queens District 28.
Regarding his public safety promises, Hankerson plans to support community-based public safety solutions and advocate for trained professionals to work with law enforcement when encountering vulnerable populations.
Additionally, his plans for economic development and quality of life aim to expand access to home care support for seniors, create affordable housing for homeowners and renters, and establish grant and low-interest loan programs for foreclosure prevention.
A lifelong South Ozone Park resident, Hankerson has been involved in community service since the age of 13, when he became civically involved in the 106th Precinct Law Enforcement Explorers Program, which he participated in until age 20.
Hankerson’s community advocacy extends to his appointment by the Queens borough president to the Leadership Council of the Jamaica Now Action Plan and as an advisory member of the Health + Hospitals Community Advisory Board in Queens.
