Today, October 28th, is an important day in terms of the 2023 General Election. Voter Registration ends and Early Voting starts, continuing through Sunday, November 5th. To find out everything you need to know to vote, from whether you’re registered to when and where you go, click here.
To receive WSR’s free email newsletter, click here.
Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.
There is only one race of any consequence to the Upper West Side, and that is the race for City Council. That race pits the long-time incumbent (in one position or another) Gale Brewer, a Democrat, against a political newcomer, Diane di Stasio, a Republican. Given recent expressions of dissatisfaction with conditions on the West Side, this could turn into a real “horse race”.
I know what I think I need to know about Ms Brewer from having lived in this neighborhood for decades. But, even after the WSR’s interview with Ms di Stasio (and the thoughtful comments it produced), I remain puzzled about Ms di Stasio for two things in particular, and wonder if anyone can help:
1. Ms di Stasio frequently claims to have won “an Emmy”. The comments after her WSR interview shed some doubt on that, and I don’t find anything on either her professional or political websites that tells us what Emmy she won, when, or what she did to win it. Does anyone, anywhere, know? My concern is not so much about her artistic endeavors as it is about her general candor and transparency — if I vote for her and she is elected, will I be able to believe what she tells me as my representative on the City Council? Few, if any, people asked these questions before electing George Santos; have we learned a lesson from that?
2. Ms di Stasio has chosen to run as a Republican. Given the Republican party’s monolithic behavior on the national and New York State levels in the past few years, does anyone know Ms di Stasio’s positions? In particular, as a litmus test, does she believe that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election — and, if not, is she prepared to announce that as her belief?
Yes, I know that that has little to do with local NYC governance, but if I vote for her and she wins I want to know if she will be accountable to her constituents *or* to the Republican machine with its uniform policies (with many of which I disagree). Would I be voting for Ms di Stasio or for a local stand-in for the Mike Johnsons, Jim Jordans and Marjorie Taylor Greenes who seem to be calling the shots, and setting the policies, for Republicans across the country? Who and what is she asking me to vote for?
The country is entering an election cycle that is critical for the future. I do not believe that it is in anyone’s interest, even on the local level, to reduce our City Council election to “Gale” versus “anti-Gale”. I want to know more about Ms di Stasio but I’m just not finding the information I need. Can anyone out there point me toward information about Ms di Stasio and why I should vote *for* her, rather than just against Ms Brewer?
Hey Cato,
By the way, Diane’s campaign just posted her Emmy award recognition on her Insta this morning. It’s def legit.
That’s great! Finally!
Of course, those of us who don’t do “Insta” (gasp!!) still don’t have that information. I guess she doesn’t want votes from us.
The profile of di Stasio was updated to answer your question:
“She also won an Emmy Award for her contribution to a music track in the television series ‘A Guiding Light.’”
Thanks (though not clear why it was so onerous to get that information).
Now, what about her position on Trump and the Republican agenda??
I follow Diane on Instagram and she posted a photo of her Emmy in today’s posting. I have gotten to know Diane over the last several months and she is definitely NOT a Trump supporter. People can ask her any questions directly through her campaign website. I did and was happy to have my questions answered.
It would be nice if she went public with important information like that. What’s she afraid of?
I don’t believe she is afraid of anything. Why not reach out to Diane directly if you have questions? I am sure she’d be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you have.
The way I read this comment – no standards for Gale but Diane has to prove something that Gale never had to.
Please read it again: it’s not about “standards”, but about information available about the candidate. “I know what I think I need to know about Ms Brewer from having lived in this neighborhood for decades.” So I have lots of information about Ms Brewer. Now I’m trying to find information about Ms di Stasio — but there’s none around. I want to know who I’m voting for, that’s all.
I understand and respect your point. Please respect mine.
Di Stasio is new, she can’t possibly have a lengthy record of either achievements or failures. Brewer has a huge record of what are mostly failures and blatant disregard of her constituents’ needs in my opinion. So Di Stasio has to prove something which is not possible, but Brewer already have been proved to fail us again and again, yet we try to judge them using same criteria?
From what I read I’m pro- Di Stasio because it doesn’t look like she will bend over backwards to please the city administration to advance her career at our expense.
What was her Emmy for? Why won’t she disclose that?
Will she follow the national Republicans blindly, like they demand of all Republican candidates? Why won’t she say anything about that?
I’m not looking for her record; I’m looking for her character. Why can’t I find anything?
The original profile of di Stasio was updated to answer your question:
“She also won an Emmy Award for her contribution to a music track in the television series ‘A Guiding Light.’”
Cato isn’t asking for her to have a lengthy record. He is asking for any information on her. I find it sad that, as a Di Stasio supporter, instead of providing him with any substantial information, which should be readily available about any person running for public office, the most substance you provide is “From what I read I’m pro- Di Stasio because it doesn’t look like she will bend over backwards to please the city administration to advance her career at our expense.”
The way you read this comment? Did you READ this comment?
“ I know what I think I need to know about Ms Brewer from having lived in this neighborhood for decades. ”
Great points. I agree with the majority of what you are saying, Our last few presidential elects have been “anti-Hillary” of “ant- Trump”. That did not work out well for anyone,
In our local election, Gale Brewer has a record we can look back on. In my opinion, she has not done her job for us. I am disregarding the (R) on the Di Stasio ticket. In this case the devil we know is definitely worse than the devil we don’t. I believe Di Stasio will not have the complacency and “untouchable” attitude of Brewer and work harder to make a positive impact on the communtity
Gale Brewer:
E-bikes running amok
Shelters for individuals many of whom are mentally ill and formerly incarcerated next to schools
Migrants with scooters and boomboxes partying day and night on sidewalks
Thank you, I had enough.
I am livid that Gale Brewer has forced me to vote for a Republican for the first time since Bloomberg’s first run against Green, but in my view she is irredeemably awful and the poster child for all that is wrong with NYC politicos. For all the reasons cited on these pages over the years, I would love to see her booted out and then she can devote the balance of her free time to raising the $60m or so that is needed to buy Park West from the congregation and restore it to its original 1890s glory. As she herself has noted, raising that money will be easy.
The anybody else argument is the absolute worst method of political choice. Failure to do due diligence to learn about who you are voting for is disgusting too commonplace in the US. You don’t like who is there, for whatever reason(s), so you vote for whomever is running against is how people like Adolf Hitler can come to power. Voting is always a ‘lesser of two evils’ situation. But it is your responsibility as a citizen to determine the evils of each. It’s common sense. But, as they say, “common sense is no longer very common.”
You make a lot of good points. I have a lot of very significant problems with Gale Brewer. But I am also quite skeptical of Ms. diStasio. As you noted, her interview lacked a lot of substance and had quite a few holes. I have seen almost zero campaigning by her. I am all for new perspectives and “relevant experience” is not a litmus test for me, but she has none.
I don’t have a huge issue with her being a Republican though I too would prefer if she had publicly distanced herself with the national Republican party.
I strongly supported Maria Danzilo a few years ago – I was not just voting against Gale Brewer but voting for a candidate who had great ideas and relevant experience. Unfortunately, despite a lot of conversation on WSR, Danzilo received minimal votes. And diStasio is nowhere near Danzilo.
I am truly struggling with this. I really want to send Gale Brewer a message. But this also seems like a risk.
I and many others are willing to take this risk.
And that’s exactly why George Santos is now a member of Congress.
Why does NYC still do early voting in schools? My daughter goes to a school that shares a building with 3 other schools. All of next week and Monday the 6th, no children can use the cafeteria at all. No breakfast or lunch there. Meals will be handed out “to go” and taken to classrooms. This is really disruptive to kids. Plus it has always seemed weird to me that strangers just get to walk in and out of schools on voting days. There are tons of empty storefronts and other mutli-use buildings. Why schools? It makes no sense.
I agree. My child is in a similar situation (might be the same building!) I assume it is because they don’t want to use one facility for election day and different ones for early voting. I was OK with my kids being disrupted for one day for election day. But this is a lot.
I think that early voting is great as it makes it easier for many people to vote, which should be the goal. But I agree that there has to be a better solution.
My experience, working in NYC schools, the election setup is separated from the kids. Most gyms and cafeterias in school building have separate entrances, and these are the ones they use. But it is definitely disruptive to the students to lose the use of the gym or cafeteria for a couple weeks. NYC should be able to use eminent domain to take the use of an open storefront for early voting for free.
I’m running to vote to is year solely to try to oust Gale Brewer and her ruining our neighborhood
Bummed out that no one is running against Sean Abreu.
I know who James L Simon will vote for. But I digress. Given the propensity of NYC to conflate local issues with national issues. Let me put this out there. I happen to know Di Stasio. She is 100% pro Israel. And in fact sang in a temple choir in earlier days. Given the inordinate number of rallies and matches we have had around here lately. Marches that would not be out of place in Nuremberg 1934. I submit that this is a pertinent issue. Particularly when contrasted with Brewers conspicuous sulence. I hope this makes it through the censor.
I am voting for Di Stasio, first time voting Republican. I wouldn’t vote for Republicans at the POTUS level, but local level we need it.
Also need to send a message that Dems are no longer zombie-voting.
things are bad and headed downhill. We need change at the NYC and state level and to send a message that we aren’t going to take it anymore, we are DONE voting for the same people over and over and then complaining. If a R wins UWS city council it will be loud and clear.
Amen brother, I could not agree more. Such a powerful message to be sent. We pay attention, we vote, so WE call the shots. The (D) on your ticket doesn’t mean you’re a shoe-in. You have to actually do your job.