Bernadette Ferrara

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Bernadette Ferrara

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 27, 2023

Education

Associate

Parson's School of Design, 1980

Personal

Birthplace

New York, N.Y.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Graphic designer

Bernadette Ferrara (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New York City Council to represent District 13. She lost in the Democratic primary on June 27, 2023.

Biography

Bernadette Ferrara was born in New York. Ferrara graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1980. Her career experience includes working as a computer graphic designer, Adobe Photoshop instructor and gymnastics instructor. Ferrara was a founding member of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance and has been on the Morris Park Business Improvement District board.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2023)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 13

Kristy Marmorato defeated incumbent Marjorie Velázquez in the general election for New York City Council District 13 on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kristy Marmorato (R / Conservative Party)	51.5	6,566
		Marjorie Velázquez (D)	47.9	6,103
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	83

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,752
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• George Havranek (We the People Party)
• Samantha Zherka (Save The Bronx Party)
• Grace Marrero (Grace 4 New York Party)
• Irene Estrada (Parent Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 13

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Marjorie Velázquez in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Marjorie Velázquez	65.5	2,795	0	Advanced (1)
		Bernadette Ferrara	19.3	822	0	1
		Irene Estrada	7.3	313	0	1
	Submit photo	John Perez	5.6	238	0	1
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	2.4	102	0

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,270
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for New York City Council District 13

Select round: Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Kristy Marmorato in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Kristy Marmorato	51.5	957	47	Advanced (3)
	Submit photo	George Havranek	48.5	902	61	3
		Samantha Zherka	0.0	0	-163	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Kristy Marmorato	47.5	910	1	Advanced (3)
	Submit photo	George Havranek	43.9	841	5	3
		Samantha Zherka	8.5	163	3	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Kristy Marmorato	47.5	909	0	Advanced (3)
	Submit photo	George Havranek	43.7	836	0	3
		Samantha Zherka	8.4	160	0	2
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	0.5	10	0

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,915
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Phyllis Nastasio (R)
• Grace Marrero (R)

Conservative Party primary election

Conservative Primary for New York City Council District 13

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Kristy Marmorato in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Kristy Marmorato	54.5	61	0	Advanced (1)
	Submit photo	George Havranek	31.3	35	0	1
		Samantha Zherka	14.3	16	0	1

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 112
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Phyllis Nastasio (Conservative Party)
• Grace Marrero (Conservative Party)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ferrara in this election.

2021

Regular city council election

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2021)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 15

Incumbent Oswald Feliz defeated Ariel Rivera-Diaz in the general election for New York City Council District 15 on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Oswald Feliz (D)	84.1	7,224
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz (R / Conservative Party)	15.6	1,340
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	21

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,585
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 15

Select round: Round 6 Round 5 Round 4 Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Oswald Feliz in round 6 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	65.2	4,348	557	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	34.8	2,325	286	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	-1,421	5
		John Sanchez	0.0	0	0	4
		Troy Blackwell	0.0	0	0	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	2
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	0	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	0.0	0	0	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	52.3	3,791	383	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	28.1	2,039	227	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	19.6	1,421	177	5
		John Sanchez	0.0	0	-1,195	4
		Troy Blackwell	0.0	0	0	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	2
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	0	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	0.0	0	0	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	44.5	3,408	161	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	23.7	1,812	111	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	16.2	1,244	183	5
		John Sanchez	15.6	1,195	107	4
		Troy Blackwell	0.0	0	-902	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	2
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	0	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	0.0	0	0	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	40.6	3,247	77	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	21.3	1,701	87	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	13.3	1,061	77	5
		John Sanchez	13.6	1,088	65	4
		Troy Blackwell	11.3	902	59	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	-194	2
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	-194	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	0.0	0	-166	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	38.7	3,170	5	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	19.7	1,614	5	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	12.0	984	0	5
		John Sanchez	12.5	1,023	2	4
		Troy Blackwell	10.3	843	1	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.4	194	0	2
		Latchmi Gopal	2.4	194	1	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	2.0	166	1	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	38.6	3,165	0	Advanced (6)
		Ischia J. Bravo	19.6	1,609	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	12.0	984	0	5
		John Sanchez	12.4	1,021	0	4
		Troy Blackwell	10.3	842	0	3
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.4	194	0	2
		Latchmi Gopal	2.4	193	0	2
	Submit photo	Lillithe Lozano	2.0	165	0	2
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	0.4	31	0

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,204
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for New York City Council District 15

Select round: Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Ariel Rivera-Diaz in round 2 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	53.7	80	2	Advanced (2)
	Submit photo	Aramis Ocasio	46.3	69	3	2

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	49.1	78	0	Advanced (2)
	Submit photo	Aramis Ocasio	41.5	66	0	2
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	9.4	15	0

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 159
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Special city council election

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2021)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 15

Select round: Round 10 Round 9 Round 8 Round 7 Round 6 Round 5 Round 4 Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The ranked-choice voting election was won by Oswald Feliz in round 10 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	56.5	1,766	456	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	43.5	1,362	244	10
		John Sanchez	0.0	0	-1,062	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	0.0	0	0	9
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	0	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	0.0	0	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	0	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	37.5	1,310	150	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	32.0	1,118	221	10
		John Sanchez	30.4	1,062	177	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	0.0	0	-712	9
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	0	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	0.0	0	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	0	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	31.7	1,160	28	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	24.5	897	37	10
		John Sanchez	24.2	885	36	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	19.5	712	47	9
		Latchmi Gopal	0.0	0	-184	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	0	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	0.0	0	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	0	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	30.7	1,132	22	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	23.3	860	14	10
		John Sanchez	23.0	849	14	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	18.0	665	16	9
		Latchmi Gopal	5.0	184	9	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	0.0	0	-113	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	0.0	0	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	0	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	29.8	1,110	19	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	22.7	846	12	10
		John Sanchez	22.4	835	12	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	17.4	649	23	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.7	175	5	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	3.0	113	4	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	0.0	0	-107	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	0	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	29.0	1,091	9	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	22.2	834	10	10
		John Sanchez	21.9	823	9	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	16.6	626	17	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.5	170	4	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.9	109	8	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	2.8	107	3	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	0.0	0	-89	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	28.6	1,082	8	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	21.7	824	6	10
		John Sanchez	21.5	814	19	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	16.1	609	12	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.4	166	0	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.7	101	2	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	2.7	104	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	2.3	89	5	5
		Jose Padilla	0.0	0	-78	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	28.2	1,074	3	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	21.4	818	3	10
		John Sanchez	20.8	795	8	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	15.6	597	5	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.4	166	0	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.6	99	1	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	2.7	104	4	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	2.2	84	3	5
		Jose Padilla	2.0	78	7	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	0.0	0	-45	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	28.0	1,071	1	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	21.3	815	0	10
		John Sanchez	20.6	787	1	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	15.5	592	0	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.3	166	1	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.6	98	1	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	2.6	100	1	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	2.1	81	1	5
		Jose Padilla	1.9	71	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	1.2	45	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Oswald Feliz	27.9	1,070	0	Won (10)
		Ischia J. Bravo	21.3	815	0	10
		John Sanchez	20.5	786	0	10
	Submit photo	Elisa Crespo	15.4	592	0	9
		Latchmi Gopal	4.3	165	0	8
	Submit photo	Kenny Agosto	2.5	97	0	7
	Submit photo	Altagracia Soldevilla	2.6	99	0	6
		Bernadette Ferrara	2.1	80	0	5
		Jose Padilla	1.9	71	0	4
		Ariel Rivera-Diaz	1.2	45	0	3
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	0.3	12	0

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,832
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bernadette Ferrara did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2021

Regular city council election

Bernadette Ferrara completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ferrara's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a working class candidate from a family of immigrants, and a single mother with deep roots in my Bronx community. I’ve lived the same struggles as the people in my district.

I've also been a community activist for many years:

• I'm a founding member of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance, and have been its president since 2015.

• I've also been a Board Member on Community Board 11 since 2008, serving on the Housing Committee, Economic Development Committee and the Youth and Education Committee.

• I sit on the board of the Morris Park Business Improvement District.

• Bronx Times Reporter included me among the 25 Bronx Influential Woman of 2017, and I will bring the dedication and commitment to the City Council I am known for in my community.

City Council District 15 is a community of strugglers and strivers. Whether blue collar workers, immigrant small business owners, or bank tellers, they all want the same things: economic stability, good schools, neighborhood amenities, and safe streets. I know what the problems are in my district, and how to fix them with practical, common sense solutions.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I'm a working class candidate from a family of immigrants, and a single mother with deep roots in my Bronx community, and have lived the same struggles as the people I am running to represent.
• I am focused on the needs of the people in my District — not a personal or political agenda that won’t improve their lives.
• I am a different kind of Democrat.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Based on my lived experience, education is an issue I care deeply about. My brother is severely autistic, and there were no programs for him in the public school system when he was a child. And as a single mother, I struggled and sacrificed to ensure my son attended schools that gave him a solid education.

Having been a small business owner, I’ve had to ride out a recession or two when business dried up. But no Mom & Pop could’ve prepared for the prolonged, forced closure of their business that abruptly cut off all revenue without pausing fixed expenses like rent, utilities and business taxes—which forced them to furlough or fire employees.

District 15 lacks basic amenities that make life safer and more pleasant. It isn't easy getting around The Bronx by mass transit—and fares are too damn high—so having to leave one’s neighborhood to go to a large supermarket or to a community center with recreational facilities for kids is a burden on elders, the disabled and families.

When it comes to animal rights, I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk: Walking the streets of Van Nest and other Bronx neighborhoods for more than 17 years as a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) Certified Animal Rescuer. I will bring this experience to the City Council to create policies that will protect pets and stray/feral animals.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I grew up a Democrat in a household of Democrats, but have at various times in my life registered as an Independent, Republican and back to Democrat. I am a free thinker and non-ideological. Frankly, I would have remained an Independent, if New York were an open primary state. I believe people should vote their conscience -- which means voting for individual candidates, and not voting " straight-ticket." I also believe that elected officials should vote to represent their constituents -- which means not voting in lockstep with your party, if you believe a policy or law will hurt your community.

For this reason, I admire former Sen. Joe Lieberman, who called himself an "independent Democrat." Although he supported his party's positions on campaign finance reform, abortion rights, and gun control, he broke ranks with his caucus by advocating for school vouchers, cuts in capital gains taxes, and limits on civil liability awards. Sen. Lieberman was also principled, and had the fortitude to stand his ground when he felt strongly about a policy. For example, he adamantly opposed the “public option,” because he felt that a government insurance program would have an unfair advantage over private insurers and threatened to join a Republican filibuster of any bill that included this provision. He ultimately voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, which did not contain a public option. This is true leadership.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

To be effective, hardworking, reliable and trustworthy.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Propose and vote on laws that govern a resident's, business owner's and elected official's rights and responsibilities; negotiate the budget with the Mayor and approve the finalized version; provide oversight of city agencies; review land use with an eye toward shaping the growth and physical characteristics of the city.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be remembered as a good person who cared and took action, who was determined, and who persevered through obstacles to get what the community needed -- no matter what.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My toughest and most gratifying achievement in life is being a single mom! As with any unplanned situation, being resourceful and determined can carry you through. As a single mom, my priority was getting my son a good education from kindergarten through college, even though this was a major struggle financially. My son's graduation from Binghamton University was an achievement for both of us.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The City Council has authority over Land Use: zoning to determine what property owners can do with their land; approving sidewalk cafes; protecting and preserving landmarks and historic districts; and purchasing/allocating land for schools, affordable housing -- even land outside New York City to protect our water supply!

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It's beneficial for holders of this office to have been active on their local community boards, civic/grassroots organizations so that they understand the needs of their communities, the processes involved to achieve practical solutions to local problems, and the roles and responsibilities of various elected officials to allocate funds, or to pass legislation to address those needs.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Patience, perserverance and personableness are required to liaise with community leaders, and to help get legislation passed.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Special city council election

Bernadette Ferrara did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2023 Elections

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