LOWER MANHATTAN — A Republican, a Green Party marijuana advocate, an old guard Downtown Democrat and a Working Family Party progressive are all vying for the seat of disgraced former Assemblyman Sheldon Silver.
On March 31, there will be a chance to hear all of them make their case for the 65th Assembly District spot.
The League of Women Voters is hosting a debate for the four candidates: Republican Lester Chang, Green Party candidate Dennis Levy, Democrat Alice Cancel and Working Family Party candidate Yuh-Line Niou, who withdrew from the Democratic party vote, calling the process "flawed" and instead chose to run as a Working Party Family candidate.
The debate, at the Downtown Alliance's headquarters, 150 Broadway, will also be co-moderated by Lincoln Anderson, editor-in-chief of The Villager, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Silver represented Lower Manhattan for nearly 40 years before he was convicted on corruption charges in November.
The special election for the seat, held on the same day as the New York presidential primaries, is April 19.
The winner of the race in the overwhelmingly Democratic 65th Assembly District will have to run again in the November general election.
