CROWN HEIGHTS — More than a year away from the city's 2017 election, candidates are already joining the race for two City Council seats up for grabs on the neighborhood’s southern border, while a third remains uncontested.
District 40
Councilman Mathieu Eugene, the leader of District 40, has already filed with the Campaign Finance Board to run for the seat he’s held since 2007, covering parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush, Ditmas Park, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Kensington.
But Eugene, who is allowed to run in 2017 according to term limits rules set in 2010, faces opposition from an experienced political professional. Brian Cunningham, a Flatbush native who has worked for state Sen. Kevin Parker and as chief of staff for Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo, already registered for the race with the CFB and has begun fundraising.
The CFB also originally listed Marti Speranza, a state committeewoman in Manhattan, as a candidate in the race. However, she said the agency made an error in filing. She is running for District 4 in Manhattan, not District 40 in Brooklyn.
District 41
Councilwoman Darlene Mealy’s seat in District 41 in Brownsville, East Flatbush and Crown Heights will open when her term expires next year. To fill that spot, two candidates have come forward, according to CFB records: Brooklyn native and public school teacher Boris Santos and Brownsville community activist Deirdre Olivera.
District 35
Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo for District 35, which covers Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, has filed with the CFB to run to reclaim her seat in 2017. As of mid-June, no challengers have filed to run against her.
