November 19, 2005

How We Voted

Jessica Lappin, the City Councilmember-elect who will represent Roosevelt Island and the rest of Council District 5, will appear here December 13 in a session sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Committee of Community Board 8 (see ad, page 9).

Democrat Lappin won her seat – replacing Gifford Miller, who was term-limited out of his role as both Councilmember and City Council Speaker – with a solid 65% of the district-wide vote, but with an 89% tally on Roosevelt Island. Her Republican opponent, Joel Zinberg, had appeared only once here, reportedly, apparently ceding Islanders’ votes to Lappin.

Roosevelt Island voters, always good at split-ticket voting, also voted heavily to re-elect Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with the rest of the City. He received 60% of the Island’s votes, though of the 841 cast for him, 104 pulled the Bloomberg lever on the Independent Party line, perhaps expressing a preference not to endorse Bloomberg’s party. Democratic candidate Freddy Ferrer scored just 37% of the Island’s votes, with 525. (The remaining 3% – just 46 votes – went to six other candidates.)

Democrat Scott Stringer beat Barry Popik on the Island, and in Manhattan, to become Borough President. While the Borough President’s powers are limited, Stringer will appoint Roosevelt Island’s representatives to Community Board 8. Stringer received 869 votes to Popik’s 143, with other candidates pulling 58 votes.

Lappin’s Roosevelt Island vote total in her victory was 1,238 (unofficial count), making her the Island’s top vote-getter on November 8. Even City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who had no Republican opponent, received only 911 votes. Betsy Gotbaum, who ran for Public Advocate without a serious challenge, scored just 934 votes.