If you thought West Side elections wrapped up with November’s races, think again. Thanks to a combination of retirement, promotions and pivots, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of political reshuffling at city, state and federal levels. We’ve waded through the alphabet soup of districts, dates and vacancies to bring you a clear guide to what’s coming — and why it matters.
Locals lined up for early voting in Hell’s Kitchen for the November general election. Photo: Catie Savage
At the center of the moves is Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who officially stepped into his new role as Manhattan Borough President on January 1. His departure triggered the first of what we expect will be two special elections on the West Side this year.
The vacancy in Hoylman-Sigal’s former 47th State Senate District will be filled at a February 3 special election, one of several state-level contests prompted by November’s shake-ups, including the race for Zohran Mamdani’s former Assembly seat in Queens. On Sunday, the Manhattan Democratic Party’s County Committee is set to meet to formally nominate a candidate, and signs point to Erik Bottcher as the only name under consideration.
Bottcher’s path here hasn’t been linear. After initially announcing a run to replace retiring Congressman Jerry Nadler, in late December the City Councilmember pivoted toward the open State Senate seat instead. Within days, endorsements from a wide swath of West Side elected officials rolled in, effectively clearing the field and cementing Bottcher as the Democratic favorite.
Still with us? Here’s where things really start to stack up.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal at his victory party for Manhattan Borough President in November. Photo: Phil O’Brien
If Bottcher is elected to the State Senate, his City Council seat will open up, triggering another special election sometime this spring. That interim Councilmember would serve through December 31, 2026 — just long enough to overlap with yet another crowded contest: the June primary to replace Nadler, where at least 10 candidates are already jockeying for position.
Below is a breakdown of the races — and candidates — shaping what could be one of the busiest election years the West Side has seen in decades.
The first contest in this election-packed year takes place Tuesday, February 3. Unlike a typical primary, the Democratic nominee in this special election will be chosen by the party’s County Committee, made up of appointed representatives from each election district within Senate District 47. The committee is expected to vote at its Sunday, January 11 meeting, where Erik Bottcher is widely anticipated to secure the nomination.
ERIK BOTTCHER
City Councilmember Erik Bottcher announced his candidacy for the 47th Senate District on December 22, saying the decision was “rooted in where I believe I can do the most good immediately.” He has pointed to housing affordability, the mental health crisis, environmental policy and defending New York from the Trump agenda as top priorities. Bottcher has represented Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea and the West Village since January 2022, after previously serving as chief of staff to former Councilmember and Speaker Corey Johnson.
Erik Bottcher chatting with constituents at a recent Manhattan Community Board 4 meeting. Photo: Phil O’Brien
Based on the timing of the vacancy, the seat will be filled through an open, non-partisan special election using ranked-choice voting, with the winner serving as an interim Councilmember through December 31, 2026. The remaining three years of Erik Bottcher’s term will be filled in the November general election. The date of the interim special election will not be set until the seat is officially declared vacant.
The race carries unusually high stakes: because term limits would not begin until the 2029 election, the winner of the special election could ultimately serve nearly 12 years on the City Council. So far, four West Siders have announced their intent to run — Carl Wilson, Layla Law-Gisiko, Leslie Boghosian Murphy and Lindsey Boylan.
CARL WILSON
Carl Wilson is a Hell’s Kitchen resident who has lived in the district for 11 years and currently serves as chief of staff to Councilmember Erik Bottcher. In that role, he has worked closely with residents, small businesses, community organizations and advocates, focusing on constituent services, housing issues and neighborhood quality-of-life concerns. He previously worked as a community liaison for former Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
Carl Wilson at a victory party for Eric Bottcher’s 2023 reelection. Photo: Phil O’Brien
“This district has shaped who I am,” Wilson said in his announcement. “It is the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement at Stonewall, the heart of Broadway and our performing arts community, and home to generations of grassroots civic leadership and innovative models of stable, affordable housing.”
Wilson said representing the district would be “the honor of a lifetime,” adding that his focus remains on continuing to deliver results for neighbors and ensuring District 3 has a strong and effective voice at City Hall.
LAYLA LAW-GISIKO
Layla Law-Gisiko is a Chelsea resident who has been involved in local advocacy efforts related to Penn Station redevelopment and public housing policy, including the conversion of Chelsea NYCHA campuses into public-private partnerships.
Layla Law-Gisiko at Starstruck Coffee in Hell’s Kitchen. Photo: Catie Savage
“I’m exploring a run because this district deserves strong, steady leadership focused on housing people can afford, a cost of living that doesn’t push families and seniors out, and a city government that delivers services with competence and urgency,” she said in a post on Instagram.
Law-Gisiko said that, if elected, she would focus on housing, education, LGBTQIA rights, public healthcare for municipal retirees and quality-of-life issues. She added that she is proud of the early support she has received from neighbors and community leaders and looks forward to continuing to build relationships across the district.
LESLIE BOGHOSIAN MURPHY
Boghosian Murphy is a longtime community advocate and Hell’s Kitchen resident who currently serves as chair of Manhattan Community Board 4, where she has been involved in issues ranging from housing and land use to transportation, waterfront infrastructure and neighborhood quality of life. She previously ran for City Council in 2021.
Leslie Boghosian Murphy at a Manhattan Community Board 4 meeting. Photo: Phil O’Brien
“I greatly appreciate the community leaders, neighborhood organizers and elected officials who have supported and guided me to this point,” she said in her announcement. “With your help, I intend to continue all the good work we have started — fighting for inclusive, affordable housing, blocking casino development, creating a path to shore power infrastructure, strengthening LGBTQ advocacy and championing quality-of-life issues in our neighborhoods.”
Boghosian Murphy said she would be honored to have the community’s support as the race moves forward.
LINDSEY BOYLAN
Lindsey Boylan, a resident of Chelsea, has previously worked in city and state government and became widely known as the first woman to publicly accuse former Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. Boylan said her decision to run is rooted in a belief that local representatives must deliver tangible results at the neighborhood level, and framed her candidacy as part of what she described as a new era in New York City politics following the election of a new mayor.
Lindsey Boylan in Chelsea. Photo: Phil O’Brien
“This race is about our neighbors, and I have seen firsthand the ways power can be used to both serve and fail everyday New Yorkers,” Boylan said. “Politics as usual cannot continue.”
Boylan’s policy priorities include affordable housing, city infrastructure, universal childcare and addressing the cost-of-living crisis. She added that she wants New York City to be a place where community voices are prioritized and where families, including her own, can thrive.
In what Rolling Stone recently dubbed a “clown-car congressional race,” at least 10 candidates are vying to replace Jerry Nadler, who has held the seat since winning a special election of his own in 1992. Nadler confirmed plans to step down in a September interview with The New York Times, citing a need for generational change within the Democratic Party.
The sprawling district stretches river-to-river from 14th Street to the northern edge of Central Park. Here are some of the most notable contenders so far:
ALEX BORES
Alex Bores is a State Assemblymember representing District 73, which spans Midtown East to the Upper East Side and overlaps nearly half of NY-12. Elected in 2022, Bores previously worked as a software engineer and has sponsored multiple AI-related bills in Albany.
Alex Bores at a rally for the LLC Transparency Act. Photo: Phil O’Brien
CAMERON KASKY
Cameron Kasky is a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida school shooting and a co-founder of March for Our Lives. His platform leans strongly progressive, with policy priorities ranging from health care and affordability to reproductive rights and foreign policy.
Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the Parkland school shooting in Florida. Photo: Noah Altshuler — Courtesy of Cameron Kasky
GEORGE CONWAY
George Conway, the former husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, is the latest entrant into the race. A longtime corporate litigator, Conway recently moved from the Washington, DC suburbs to Manhattan and registered as a Democrat. He now lives in a luxury rental building in Chelsea.
George Conway is the latest candidate to enter the crowded field. Photo: George Conway for Congress
JACK SCHLOSSBERG
Jack Schlossberg hails from the storied Kennedy family — the grandson of President John F Kennedy and son of Caroline Kennedy. Known largely as a social-media personality, Schlossberg became Vogue’s political correspondent in 2024. He has cited President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” as the catalyst for his run, pointing to what he calls a mounting cost-of-living crisis.
Jack Schlossberg in his office. Photo: Jack For New York
MICAH LASHER
Widely viewed as Nadler’s heir apparent, Micah Lasher is a State Assemblymember representing District 69, covering parts of the Upper West Side, Manhattan Valley and Morningside Heights. As a young tenant in the East Village, Lasher battled notorious landlord Steve Croman, shaping his long-standing focus on tenant protections. He is no stranger to crowded fields, having emerged from a five-candidate primary to win his Assembly seat in 2024.
Micah Lasher at a press conference with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Photo: Phil O’Brien
More races, more candidates — and more curveballs — are expected as 2026 approaches. We’ll be following every move.