NYC primary election squeakers: City Council hopefuls Tony Avella, Kristy Marmorato win tight races

Former Queens Democratic Councilman Tony Avella and Republican Kristy Marmorato in The Bronx won their primary ranked choice races albeit by very tight margins according to the New York City Board of Elections on Wednesday.

In the Democratic primary in northeast Queens’ 19th Council District, Avella won by just 123 votes — 2,865 votes or  51.1% to 2,742 votes or 49.9% for Christopher Bae.

Avella will have a rematch against Republican Councilwoman Vicki Paladino, who defeated him two years ago. He also served in the state Senate.

In the Republican primary for 13th Council District in The Bronx,  Marmorato — the sister of county GOP chairman Michael Rendino — won by 56 votes — with  952  or 51.5% to 896 or 48.5% for rival George Havranek.

Marmorato will face off against Democratic incumbent Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez in a more moderate eastern section of The  Bronx that includes Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay and Morris Park in what the GOP hopes could be a competitive general election race in November.

Unlike state or federal elections, the Big Apple’s primary elections go to a ranked choice tabulation if no candidate captures at least 50% of the vote in the initial tally.

The candidate who got the smallest number of votes in the first round is knocked out of the race and the second-choice votes of their voters go to the remaining candidates, and the process continues until there is a winner with a majority of the vote.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary victory of Yusef Salaam — the exonerated Central Park Five defendant — looked even more impressive following the official tally.

In the race for Harlem’s District 9 Council seat on Election Day, Salaam captured 5,705 votes or 49.9% of the vote to 2,874 votes or 25% for state Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, 1,092 or 14% of the vote for Assemblyman Al Taylor and 1,092 or 9.5% for current Councilman Kristen R. Jordan, who announced she wasn’t seeking re-election but whose name was still on the ballot.

Though he clearly won the primary, rank choice voting kicked in because Salaam’s vote total fell just below the 50% threshold in a four-way race.

With two of the three remaining candidates knocked out during ranked choice voting, Salaam ended up with 6,993 votes or 63.8% to 3,962 votes or 36.2% for Dickens, the second place candidate.

Salaam picked up 1,267 additional RCV votes to 1,075 for Dickens.

Salaam and Al Taylor gave each other ranked choice endorsements before the primary, urging their voters to select the other as their second preference over Dickens.