By Nicole Breskin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CENTRAL HARLEM — Despite low voter turnout for Democratic primaries in Harlem this afternoon, voters made their preferences for candidates clear.
The overwhelming favorite for the 9th Council District seat appeared to be long-time Harlem leader and incumbent Inez Dickens, who was first elected to New York City Council in 2005.
“I don’t know who those other candidates are,” said Marselee Mitchell, 40, of Harlem, who cast her vote at P.S. 175 this morning. “I’m voting for Inez because you know she’s here for you.”
Running against Dickens are retired NYPD detective Carlon Berkley, Columbia University graduate Landon C Dais and former Harlem Republican Club Central vice-president Abbi Lee Rogers-Haff.
Mitchell said the key issues in Harlem are education reform and childhood obesity.
Democratic District Leader William Allen said at the polls, “It’s going to be a landslide victory for Inez.”
Dickens has lived in Harlem all her life. Her father is the late Assemblyman and District Leader Lloyd Dickens.
Dickens campaigned outside the polling site at P.S. 175. She told supporters the biggest issue on her agenda this year is affordable housing.
“We need to provide quality housing that our community is also able to afford,” Dickens said.
“I think my chances look good this year. I prayed for it, and I worked hard for it.”
Before Dickens took her oath of office for City Council in 2006, she made history in the council as highest-ranking African-American woman in the New York State Democratic party when she became the vice-chair of the Democratic Committee.
She said the fact that there is now an African-American United States president and New York governor is “phenomenal.”
“I didn’t think I’d live to see that,” Dickens said.
Gov. David Paterson voted at the same poll center earlier today.
While many local voters focused on Dicken’s seat, Harlem resident Jean Corbett-Parker, 61, said the biggest race for her is for the Democratic nominee for mayor.
She lost her son to gun violence in 2001. She said the Democratic primary is “extremely personal” for her, and she believes Comptroller William Thompson can help young adults affected by gangs in Harlem.
"He wants to stop guns before they get to Harlem," she said, adding that she considers gun trafficking from other states to New York a "huge issue."
Marc Grant, 37, a security guard in Harlem, also voted for Thompson.
“He has a strong mission for African Americans when it comes to all sorts of issues – health, housing and crime,” Grant said.
